Experiments
by Augusta
Summary: Eldershipping Ahoy! I love the thought of Professor Oak getting a girl, so I decided to play matchmaker. Fluffy and funny. Full summary inside.
1. December 18

**Summary: **What do you get when you put Professor Oak and Mrs. Ketchum together in the lab in the middle of a blizzard with some strange and unknown chemicals? I intend to find out. I do so love experiments in Chemistry. R&R

**Disclaimer:** I don't own pokémon. I don't even own the television that my sisters and I watch the movies and play the games on.

Chapter 1-December 18 

Tracy stuck his head around the corner. "I'm done cleaning up Professor. Want me to lock up on my way out?"

Professor Oak looked up from the microscope in front of him. He rubbed his hands over his stern-looking face and yawned hugely. "Oh, pardon me. That sounds like a good idea. After I finish this I think I'll just bunk upstairs."

"You sure you don't want any help?"

"No, no. You should go and enjoy your Christmas break. Aren't all of you guys going on some trip this year?"

"Yeah, Ash and Misty decided to come along with us. I think we're supposed to meet Brock there, too. Well, if you're sure. Merry Christmas, Professor Oak."

"Same to you Tracy. I'll see you after the first."

He listened for a few seconds and heard the door close and the lock click. The Professor sighed to himself. Another Christmas and I'm alone in the lab. 

For the last eight years Samuel Oak had buried himself in his work during the holidays. He couldn't bear to celebrate Christmas, not since his wife Rose had died. Even though he didn't celebrate he still sent presents to his grandkids, his only family.

He sighed again and sat at his laptop. Unfortunately, he was so depressed about the holidays he found it hard to concentrate. He looked up at the clock on the wall.

"11:45. I might as well clean up. I'm not getting anything done anyway." He had been doing some research for Nurse Joy on the curative properties of Kabuto oil. He carefully wrapped the Kabuto fossil he had acquired from Ash and set it back on its shelf. He shut down his laptop and grabbed the vial of Kabuto oil that he had procured from the fossil. As he went to put it back in its proper place, he tripped over the surge protector his laptop was plugged into. He suddenly pitched forward and the vial went flying. He sat up and rubbed his nose only to see that the vial had shattered not far from him.

Another sigh escaped him. "What a way to end the evening."

He slipped on a pair of latex gloves and squatted by the mess, picking up the larger pieces. He reached out to pick up one that was quite a bit away from him. The Professor began to tip over and put his knee down to stop himself. There was an awful 'crunch' and pain shot through his leg. "Son of a …ow! God!"

He sat back against the wall and brushed the glass from his from his pants. Blood was seeping through the fabric and he rolled up his khaki pants to get a better look at the damage. He winced. Pieces of glass were sticking out of his shin where the blood welled up around them. He got up and limped across the room to clean and bandage it at the sink. He picked the glass out and applied a small amount of pressure and his leg immediately stopped bleeding. "Strange."

He shook his head as he bandaged the wound and went to clean up the mess. A few minutes later the floor was clean and the shattered vial and Kabuto oil were in a container labeled hazardous material. He limped upstairs and dropped heavily to the couch. Propping his foot on the arm, he promptly fell asleep.


	2. December 19

Chapter 2-December 19

It was 9:00 in the morning and Professor Oak was still asleep. The doorknob rattled a bit and then turned. A person in an amorphous blue hoodie and jeans walked in and pulled the key from the door as they took off their snow boots.  
"Hello… Professor Oak!"

When no answer came back the person looked around and spied the stairs in the far corner. They followed them up, a bag clutched against their chest. Upstairs was a massive main room filled with some couches and chairs and a television in one corner with doors off to the side that lead to a few sparsely furnished bedrooms. Opposite the stairs was a kitchenette and full bathroom in another corner. It felt like a dormitory. That wasn't far from the truth. Usually, one of the Professor's assistants stayed the night to take care of the pokemon. Professor Oak snored gently from the couch. A slight smile flashed across the person's face and they set the bag down as they reached out to gently shake his shoulder.

"Wake up Professor Oak."

He yawned and his eyes fluttered open. "Hmm. What's that?"

He caught sight of the hooded person and bolted upright. "Who are you and what are you doing in my lab? How did you get in here?"

The person pushed back her hood to reveal…

"Oh, it's just you Mrs. Ketchum."

"Sorry I startled you. Tracy stopped by my house last night and gave me these keys. He told me I should check on you this morning."

"That was nice of him. Thank you for waking me. I probably would have slept till this afternoon."

She caught sight of the bandage on his leg. "Are you all right?"

"Hmm? Oh, that. It's really nothing."

"Call it a mother's intuition, but I think I should take a look at it."

She shifted his leg to her lap, unwrapped the ace bandage, and pulled back the gauze.

"No, really Mrs. Ketchum. That's not necessary."

"Oh, my God!"

"What? You can't tell me scared of a bit of blood?"

Wordlessly, she removed the rest of the gauze to give him a good view of his shin. It looked as if the cuts had completely healed but his leg was the color of pewter. Mrs. Ketchum reached out and tentatively touched it.

"Does that hurt?"

"No… I can't feel anything."

She rapped it with her knuckles. "The skin here feels like stone."

"Stone? No…"

He looked to the stairs that led down to his lab.

"What?"

"That's not possible."

He abruptly got up and limped down the stairs and across the lab to the fossil. She caught up to him as he was unwrapping it.

"What is that Professor?"

"It's a Kabuto fossil that your son sent me. I was doing some research on it last night for Nurse Joy. I had found a way to produce Kabuto oil from chips of the shell. Supposedly, it has curative properties. I accidentally broke a vial of it last night and cut my shin on the shards of glass."

"You didn't do anything?"

"I cleaned it and everything seemed fine."

"You should have gone to the doctor."

"I thought you were Ash's mother not mine."

"You still should have gone to the doctor."

"I know. Now I'm going to have to figure out how to cure this."

"Is there anything I can do to help?"

"I appreciate the offer but, no, I doubt it."

"Then I'll get breakfast."

Professor Oak's stomach growled loudly in reply.

She quirked an eyebrow. "Sounds like you need it."

"Upstairs is completely furnished and functional."

She trotted upstairs and he got to work on examining the other vial of Kabuto oil.

!ELDERSHIPPING!

Mrs. Ketchum opened and closed the cupboards. When she couldn't find anything she liked, she emptied the grocery bag that she had brought on to the counter. Staring at the medley of food in front of her she chewed on the end of a pencil she found on the coffee table by the couch.

"Aha!"

And with that she twisted her hair up, shoved the pencil through the messy bun, and went to work.

!ELDERSHIPPING!

Down in the lab Professor Oak fumed to himself as he worked.

What right does Tracy have to go behind my back and ask poor Mrs. Ketchum to _baby-sit_ me?

He looked over his shoulder at the stairs for a second. Although, I do have to admit, she's one of the nicest looking baby-sitters I've ever had.

Professor Oak shook his head. Stop it, Samuel! You're starting to sound like a dirty old man. Well, you've got part of it right, the old man part. You're fifty-four for God's sake. But that doesn't mean I'm so old that I need someone to watch over me. Especially not some poor woman who's lived down the road from you for years and is actually, quiet attractive…

He mentally slapped himself. What a way to think! Get a hold of yourself man. She can't be much older than thirty. You could be her father!

He huffed in frustration and went back to work. As he looked at the slide of Kabuto oil he made notes on a pad of paper near by.

!ELDERSHIPPING!

Delia Ketchum easily flipped the enormous omelet on to a plate along with two of her homemade rolls, a bowl of oatmeal, and a glass of orange juice.

"It isn't much but it'll have to do."

She descended the stairs, careful not to drop her tray of precious cargo. She slowly walked across the lab, her sock feet not making a sound. Professor Oak was pretty much oblivious to her, even when she set the tray down next to him.

"Professor Oak." She waited a few seconds. "You're amazing!"

Professor Oak suddenly looked up. "Huh?"

"You're like a Snorlax, oblivious to everything around you."

He smiled slightly. "Rose used to say the exact same thing."

His face immediately fell at the thought of his late wife. Mrs. Ketchum put a comforting hand on his shoulder.

"I'm so sorry."

"No, no. It's all right. I see you brought breakfast."

"It's not much."

His eyebrows shot up. "Not much? You expect me to eat all this?"

She reached over a nipped a warm roll from the tray.

"Hey, I was going to eat that."

Delia rolled her eyes. "And they say women are fickle."

When she turned her back Samuel stuck his tongue out at her and began eating the enormous omelet.

"Mm. This is delicious Mrs. Ketchum. What's in it?"

"Spinach, red bell peppers, and ham."

He smiled at the ingredients. "How'd you know those were my favorites?"

"I didn't. I just made it how Ash likes it."

"Your son likes spinach?"

"No. He just doesn't know it's in the omelet. That's why there are red bell peppers in it. It covers the taste of the spinach. It's the only way I can seem to get him to eat right." The only answer she got back was a small grunt as Professor Oak ate.

Mrs. Ketchum nibbled at the roll and looked into the microscope on the table.

"What are you working on?"

"Mime fudyig kafudo all."

"Don't talk with your mouth full."

Samuel swallowed. "A mother till the end. I said, I'm studying Kabuto oil."

She skimmed the notes next to the microscope and then looked back into the microscope. She frowned and then took a second look as she pulled the pencil out of her hair. He watched her hair cascade down around her shoulders, Samuel said va-va-voom and Professor Oak internally chided himself and immediately became interested in his oatmeal. He didn't see Delia erasing some of his notes and replacing them with her own until it was too late.

"Mrs. Ketchum! What are you doing?" He ripped the notebook away.

"Hmm? Oh, I was just correcting a few of your errors."

"Errors?"

"Mm-hmm. Come and see for yourself." She stepped back from the microscope to give him easier access to it. He read the changes she made and looked into the microscope only to find she was right. He had made some mistakes. He slowly turned his head to look at her.

"How…"

"What? You do know I majored in Cellular Anatomy and Physiology when I went to Celedon U?"

He sat down and seriously scrutinized the woman in front of him for the first time. "You went to Celedon U? I taught there."

"I know, you were my Basic Pokémon teacher."

His brows drew together as he flipped through his mental files. "I don't remember having a Delia Ketchum in my classes."

"Of course not. I was Delia Peabody then. I would have just met Will."

It was her turn to sadden at the memory of a loved one who was gone.

"I'm sorry I brought it up."

She squared her shoulders and tried to smile. "It's not your fault. I'm the one who brought up…Will, not you."

A faint smile crossed his face. "So you're Delia Peabody. That means if I was your Basic Pokémon teacher you would've had… Adam Quark for Cellular A&P Anatomy and Physiology for all you non-college students.."

"That's right. He was something else."

Samuel leaned in close. "Confidentially, he wasn't exactly battling with a full team of pokémon."

Delia burst into a fit of giggles. "You're…you are kidding, aren't you?"

He held his hands up. "May an Electabuzz's lightning bolt strike me."

Electabuzz escaped from his pokéball at that exact moment and sent a thunder shock attack at Professor Oak, who had enough sense to duck.

"Get back in your pokéball. NOW!"

"Buzz!" Electabuzz stuck out his tongue as he flashed back into his pokéball.

Delia crossed her arms over her chest, smiling. "You've been caught."

"All right, all right. He was just a bit eccentric."

"Now that's an understatement."

They both laughed for a bit and then Professor Oak got serious. "Why did you leave in the middle of your final year? You were such a promising student. Did something happen?"

She patted her now flat stomach. "Yeah, Ash is what happened."

"Ah, yes. Now I remember. Not long after you dropped out I do recall my son Robert telling me of your marriage to Will. We suspected foul play."

"No, there wasn't any foul play. Will popped the question before I got pregnant. We just decided to move our wedding date up a bit."

Professor Oak nodded knowingly.

"Well, my dear it seems you can be of some help."

Professor Oak and Mrs. Ketchum spent the rest of the day going over his Kabuto oil findings like they were two old colleagues who had been doing it for years.


	3. December 20

**Chapter 3-December 20**

The next morning as Mrs. Ketchum let herself in she heard a strange noise coming from upstairs. She tiptoed up to the second floor and became very curious when she realized the sound was coming from the bathroom and cracked the door open. She had to cover her mouth to keep from giggling. Professor Oak was singing in the shower and she almost died laughing when he hit a few off-key notes.

_You don't know how you met me  
__You don't know why  
__You can't turn around and say goodbye  
__All you know is when I'm with you  
__I make you free  
__And swim through your veins like a fish in the sea  
__I'm singing  
__Follow me everything is all right  
__I'll be the one to tuck you in at night  
__And if you wanna leave  
__I can guarantee  
__You won't find nobody else like me._

_!ELDERSHIPPING!_

Professor Oak limped out of the bathroom in nothing but a pair of sweatpants, toweling his unruly gray hair. Delia was hunched over on the couch reading the notes they had taken the day before. She looked over her back.

"Do you ever go home?"

He whipped the towel from his head. "When did you get here?"

She glanced at the clock on the wall. "About ten minutes ago. Did you know that your bathroom has wonderful acoustics?"

He turned beet-red. He quickly put his shirt on in hopes of covering his embarrassment. "You, ah, heard me singing?"

"Mm-hmm."

He plopped down next to her, his face in his hands. "How embarrassing."

"Actually, you're not too bad. Not necessarily too good, but, altogether, not bad. Now lets see that leg." She reached down and grabbed his leg, dropping it on her lap.

"Huh? Ack!"

"Oh, hush." She ran her fingers over the strange…well, rash was the only thing she could think to call it, but that wasn't right. It now covered his whole foot and was half way up his thigh.

"You're quite fast, Mrs. Ketchum."

"I've had to live with Ash."

"Point taken."

"What were you singing?"

He shrugged his shoulders. "Something I heard on the radio last night. It kind of got stuck in my head. I think it's by someone called Uncle Biscuit…Cracker…something like that."

"I see…Oh, dear. It seems to have gotten worse."

She didn't get a reply back because when she ran her hand up and over his thigh, he went cross-eyed and speechless. Oh yeah, it's confirmed Samuel, you're old but definitely not dead.

He quickly drew his leg back. "So, what's for breakfast?"

"Whatever you decide to make."

He looked pointedly at her. She just laughed.

"I'm just kidding."

"You wouldn't think it was so funny if you tasted my cooking."

"I'm sure. By the way, nice six-pack." She patted his stomach as she stood up.

Delia covered her mouth as she turned around. I can't believe I just said that. To tell the truth, that was an understatement. Wow was more like it, especially for a guy his age. Double wow!

Professor Oak wasn't really sure what to do and sat there with his mouth hanging open for a few seconds. He then decided to just smile at the complement.

!ELDERSHIPPING!

Later that day Mrs. Ketchum was bent over another microscope with another slide of Kabuto oil on it and a notebook next to it. Professor Oak sat nearby with his 'affected' leg propped up as he copied the notes they had taken yesterday on to his laptop. They were so engrossed in their work that they didn't hear the phone ring at first.

_Poké-poké, ring-ring-ring, poké-poké._

"What the…" 

Professor Oak didn't even look up from his laptop as he pointed in the general direction of the stairs. "Phone."

"Oh." It took her a second to find the phone since it was under a pile of papers.

"Hello, Professor Oak's lab."

"Mime-mime."

"Oh, hello, Mimie."

"Mime-mime, my-mime."

"Okay, thank you Mimie. I'll make sure and do that."

She hung up the phone and looked around the lab. "Professor Oak, where do you keep your transistor radio?"

"It's…uh. Oh, dear. It seems I forgot where I put it." He looked around with a slightly confused expression on his face.

Delia poked around the lab and spied it on the shelf above his head. "Never mind, I found it."

She reached up and flipped it on. When she realized the batteries were dead she slipped a new set in and flipped it on again. Static, darn.

She twiddled the dials and found the local station.

_There's gonna be a heartache tonight, a heartache tonight I know. Oh, I know._

_That was The Eagles with _Heartache Tonight_ and you're listening to PPKM you're home for the best music anywhere. Up next is PPKM news with Augusta._

_Thanks Izzy. This is Augusta with your PPKM news and weather. Christmas is only a few days away and our weather center is sending out a blizzard warning. It seems the worst snowstorm of the season is blowing in from the west. They're saying it should be here by about midnight so I'd suggest you folks out there stock up and be at ready. In news today…_

"Oh, my."

"Maybe you should go home Mrs. Ketchum. It would be horrible for Mimie to be stuck at home in a blizzard all alone."

She sighed. "You're right. I should head home."

She grabbed the keys off the table by the door as she hopped around trying to put her boots on.

"Bye, Professor."

"Um…bye."

He turned back to his computer as she headed out the door. That was a dumb thing to do Samuel, now who's going to help you with your problem?

He clapped a hand to his forehead. "I can be so stupid!" 

!ELDERSHIPPING!

Delia hurried to her house and was about to open the door when a voice behind her caught her attention.

"Hello, Mrs. Ketchum."

She glanced over her shoulder. "Oh, hello Mrs. Greene. How are you?"

"Not bad. I'd be better if Tom were home from that silly outing with all of Professor Oak's other assistants. Say, didn't Ash go with them too?"

Delia had to think for a moment and then she remembered that Tom Greene was one of Professor Oak's assistants studying grass pokémon.

"Yes, he and Misty decided to tag along with their friend Tracy."

Mrs. Greene followed Delia into the house. "So, where have you been the last couple of days?"

"I've been over at Professor Oak's lab."

"Doing what?"

"Well, you see, he…"

She was about to spill Professor Oak's problem to the town's biggest gossip and figured that it wouldn't go over well with the Professor.

"He…sprained his ankle and I've been over there helping him to take care of all those pokémon that his grandson and my Ash sent him. There're nearly four hundred, you know, and he needed some help. Since I wasn't busy I volunteered."

"Is there anything I can do."

"No! I mean…not really. The two of us seem to be enough to take care of the pokémon."

"Have you heard on the news about the blizzard coming through?"

"That's why I'm home. I've decided to take Mimie and a few of my things over to the lab. Professor Oak won't be able to move around much for a while so I figured I might as well wait out the storm at his lab. It's better suited for waiting out a blizzard."

In more ways than one. She blushed at the thought. Luckily her cheeks were already pink from the biting wind and Mrs. Greene didn't notice.

"How about I help you carry some of your things."

"Thank you, I'd really appreciate it."

A few minutes later Professor Oak heard the door open. "Hello, who's there?"

Mrs. Ketchum's head peeked around the armload of clothes she carried. "It's just me, Professor."

Mrs. Greene walked in the door with Mimie not far behind. "Hello, Professor."

"Mrs. Greene! What are you doing here?"

"Oh, I'm just helping Mrs. Ketchum move a few of her things here."

"Ah, I see."

"By the way, how's your ankle?"

"My ankle?"

Delia gave him a look from behind Mrs. Greene that obviously said 'play along.'

"Oh, yes…my ankle. It's been better."

"Well, I hope it heals soon. See you all later."

Professor Oak and Mrs. Ketchum watched silently as Mrs. Greene pranced out into the swirling snow.

"What was that all about?"

Delia sighed with relief. "I didn't think you appreciate me telling the town gossip about your little 'problem,' so I made up some story about you spraining your ankle."

"Thank you. You were right, I do appreciate you lying for me. Wait, that doesn't sound right, but thanks all the same."

She criticized the piles in front of her. "Now, what'll I do with all this?"

Samuel's eyebrows shot up. "You're staying?"


	4. December 21

**Chapter 4-December 21**

Since Mrs. Ketchum had 'moved in' per say, she was constantly helping Professor Oak and didn't really need Mimie's help. When he found out that there was a Geodude and a Machoke that liked to play cards he was usually found playing poker upstairs with the other pokémon.

!ELDERSHIPPING!

Samuel and Delia sat at a table downstairs, taking a small reprieve from their work while they ate lunch. The radio played in the background. They had left it on so they could hear if any more blizzard warnings were sounded. Professor Oak ate the grilled cheese Mrs. Ketchum had provided as he read her notes. She ate in silence so as not to bother him. Her ears perked at the announcement of a song. She ran over and turned the radio up as loud as it would go.

_Da, da, da, da, da, da, da-dum._

Professor Oak looked up to see Mrs. Ketchum slide across the floor in her sock feet, her back to him.

_Da, da, da, da, da, da, da-dum._

She suddenly turned around; empty pop bottle in her hand like it was a microphone.

_Just take those old records off the shelf  
__I'll sit and listen to 'em by myself  
__Today's new music ain't got the same soul  
__I like that old time rock 'n' roll._

She bounced around dancing and singing and altogether making a spectacle of herself. Professor Oak laughed as he watched her and sang along, too. He probably would've gotten up and danced with her, if it wasn't for his leg.

_Don't try to take me to a disco  
__You'll never even get me out on the floor  
__In ten minutes I'll be late for the door  
__I like that old time rock 'n' roll  
__Still like that old time rock 'n' roll  
__That kind of music just soothes the soul  
__I reminisce about the days of old  
__With that old time rock 'n' roll._

He eagerly watched her sway and swing. He admired how her hair danced around her and when her feet kicked up in the air. You should be ashamed of yourself Samuel. You really _are_ a dirty old man.

_Won't go to hear them play a tango  
__I'd rather hear some blues or funky old soul  
__There's only one sure way to get me to go  
__Start playing old time rock 'n' roll._

Mrs. Ketchum was dealing with her own conscience as well. You're making a complete fool of yourself Delia. What would Professor Oak think? What _would_ the Professor think?

_Call me a relic, call me what you will  
__Say I'm old-fashioned, say I'm over the hill  
__Today's music ain't got the same soul  
__I like that old time rock 'n' roll  
__Still like that old time rock 'n' roll  
__That kind of music just soothes the soul  
__I reminisce about the days of old  
__With that old time rock 'n' roll._

Mrs. Ketchum sat down at the table, her face flushed. "Whew, what a work out. I love that song. It's so much fun."

Professor Oak had a cheeky grin on his face. "Yeah, but I thought you were supposed to slide out in your underwear."

She did the only mature thing she could think of at the moment; she stuck her tongue out at him.

Professor Oak smiled as he stretched. "Well, I don't know about you, but I think I'm ready to get back to work."

As he did his polo shirt rode up exposing his now stone colored abdomen.

"Professor!"

He immediately dropped his arms. "What?"

She was around the table and fighting to pull his shirt up in a matter of seconds.

"What are you doing!"

"I'm trying to see something."

"Stop it!"

"No. Let me see your stomach."

"Why? Ahh! Stop it! Stop it! I'm ticklish there."

"Oh, really!" She proceeded to tickle his sensitive sides until she was able to pull his shirt up and get a good look at around his waist. Professor Oak gave a resigned sigh and let her look.

"Talk about rock-hard abs."

"You are one sneaky woman, Delia Ketchum."

She looked quizzically up at him. "What?"

"I said you're one sneaky woman."

"No, what did you call me?"

"What, Delia Ketchum? That is your name, isn't it?"

"Yes. I've just never heard you call me by my first name."

"If you'd rather, I won't call you Delia."

"No, I don't mind. We have been friends for a long time. Why shouldn't we be on a first name basis?"

"Alright then, I'll call you Delia, but only if you call me Samuel."

!ELDERSHIPPING!

Delia looked up at the clock. It was midnight and she was dead tired. Samuel, as he wanted to be called, was beginning to yawn and was rubbing his bleary eyes as he tried to read his computer screen.

"It's 12:00."

"So, go on upstairs and go to bed. I still have work to do."

"Don't kid yourself. You're not going to be very useful if you're going to keep falling asleep all day tomorrow. You need to go to bed Prof…uh, Samuel."

"Fine." He shut down his laptop and tried to get up.

"Uh, oh."

"What?"

"I think you're going to have to help me."

She slung his arm over her shoulder and wrapped hers around his waist. "Come on Mimie we have to help this old fogey."

"Mime, my-mime, mimie (Yeah, you old fogey)."

"Hey, respect your elders!"


	5. December 22

**Chapter 5-December 22**

Delia stretched and opened her eyes to strange surroundings. There was no alarm clock on the bedside table, no bedside table, and no frilly curtains. It took her a second to realize where she was. She hurriedly got dressed in the bathroom and hearing Samuel snore gently from the couch, she covered him with a quilt and headed downstairs to listen to the radio. It seemed dark down in the lab, even with the lights on, so she reached out to pull back the curtains on the window to find that snow had drifted and piled high against the side of the building.

_Poké-poké, ring-ring-ring._

"Hello."

"Mom?"

"Ash dear, how are you?"

"Pretty good. When I didn't get an answer at home I called the lab. What are you doing there?"

"Sam…er, Professor Oak hurt himself and I'm helping out at the lab."

"Oh. Well, I just called to say that we're flying back in a few days."

"You might have to postpone that dear."

"What do you mean."

"Pallet Town's in the middle of a blizzard."

Ash gave a resounding sigh. "Alright, I'll tell everyone."

"Don't look so down. Just think of it as an extra long vacation."

He immediately perked up. "Yeah, you're right. Bye, mom. Oh, and give my best to Professor Oak."

"Bye dear. Don't forget to wear clean underwear."

"Mom!"

Delia hung up the phone and headed upstairs to give Samuel the news. As a second thought she went back and brought the radio upstairs with her. She shook Samuel's shoulder and he slowly came awake.

"Get up, you sleepy-head. Ash just called to say they would be home soon and I told him to postpone the flight."

"I hope they enjoy their extra time. I'll make sure and work them extra hard when they get back."

"I know you're not that mean."

"You know me too well, Delia."

"By the way, Ash sends his best. I'd better get breakfast started."

"You spoil me Delia. What am I going to do when this blizzard blows over and you go back home?"

"I guess I'll just have to teach you to cook for yourself."

He laughed at the thought but stopped when he saw how his hand had become stiff, hard, and pewter gray. "Oh, no."

Delia came over and saw it too. All she could do was reiterate his comment.

"Oh, no is right. It looks like I'll be doing all the work today. You need to rest. I'm going to have to pick your brain from time to time, though."

"Fine." He covered his face with his good hand. There was no point in arguing with her when he could see how his condition was worsening.

!ELDERSHIPPING!

Delia sat down in the lab, bent over a microscope and his laptop. She could faintly hear the radio from upstairs, but otherwise it was eerily quiet. She looked over at the stairs and felt suddenly lonely. She realized she craved Samuel's company, even in his present condition. So she gathered everything and trudged upstairs.

"What are you doing up here?"

"It's too quiet down there. Besides, I can always use your help."

She set up the microscope on the coffee table and plunked down in front of the couch. Samuel smiled. He could tell that she was, in actuality, lonely. As was he. Samuel sat back and opened the book he had been reading and then closed it and looked back down at Delia. It was then that he realized what she was wearing and decided she looked really good in one of his lab coats.

!ELDERSHIPPING!

It was eight o'clock. Delia rubbed her eyes. Ugh! I'm not getting anywhere with this. The answer is right there in front of me. I just know it.

She stretched her arms along the length of the couch and tipped her head back to lean against Samuel's knee. Closing her eyes for a few seconds she felt something wrap around her hand. She picked her head up and saw that Samuel had grasped her hand in his good one. She glanced at his face and found he was still asleep. The radio was still playing in the background.

_I want you close, I want you near  
__I can't help but listen, but I don't want to hear  
__Hear that voice again  
__I want to be with you, I want to be clear  
__But each time I try, it's the voice I hear  
__I hear that voice again._

_That was Peter Gabriel and _That Voice Again._ This is Samantha, your late night deejay for PPKM. I love that song; makes me kinda think of forbidden love or losing out on love…_

Delia looked at Samuel's peaceful face and could feel something squeeze in her chest as her stomach turned cartwheels. "I know how that feels."

His lips moved and she scooted closer to hear what he was saying. "Delia…sweet Delia…"

He snored again and she smiled sweetly. He was dreaming of her.

"Please don't…"

She leaned close to him and held his hand to her cheek while she whispered quietly to him. "Don't what?"

He sighed in his sleep. "…Don't leave me, Delia."

She smiled again and leaned in to kiss his cheek. "Don't worry."

He smiled in his sleep and she gently extricated her hand from his. She rubbed her eyes and headed downstairs to hopefully think. While she was down there she let a Geodude and a Squirtle out of their pokéballs. She gave them each a berry to eat. As she watched them, an idea came to her. She rolled it around her head a few times and then smacked her forehead.

"How could I be so dumb? Uh…you two should get back in your balls."

The two pokémon looked at each other, bemused, and shrugged their shoulders as they flashed back into their balls. Delia, meanwhile, had rushed upstairs and finished putting all her data into Samuel's laptop. She ran a few experiments on it and each time found the same answer; it was possible. She hurried back downstairs with the laptop under her arm. Throwing on her coat she tried to shove her feet in her snow boots. That's how Mimie found her when he came downstairs, hopping around on one foot while she tried to put her boot on the other.

"Mime my-mime, mimie (Where are you going)?"

"I need to run home fast, Mimie. I think I've found a way to help Samuel."

"Mimie?" A strange smile flashed across the pokémon's usually chipper face.

"Oh, hush you perverted little thing!"

"Mime!"

Charmeleon flashed from his ball. "Char!"

"Good idea Mimie. Come on Charmeleon."

Delia cracked the door and the Charmeleon stuck his head out and melted the snow.

"Thanks again Mimie!" With a slam, Delia was gone.

"Mime (Humans)." Mimie shook his head and headed back upstairs to keep and eye on Professor Oak.

!ELDERSHIPPING!

Delia hunched over as she followed behind Charmeleon. Luckily she didn't have very far to go. She sniffled as she entered the greenhouse behind her home.

Oh dear. I hope I don't come down with something.

She gathered a few things and headed back behind Charmeleon, his tail lighting the way back to the lab. When she got there she fed Charmeleon as payment for his help and rummaged around the lab shelves gathering the rest of what she needed.

"Mime?"

"Oh, good. Mimie, I'm going to need your help."

"My-mime (Why me)?"

She slipped on one of Samuel's lab coats and rolled up the sleeves. "Well, Samuel's incapacitated and you're the only other one here."

"Mimie mime-mime (Stupid dumb luck)."

"First thing in need you to do is…" She scrunched up her face and rubbed under her nose. Not being able to hold it in any longer she let out a resounding sneeze.

"Ah-choo! Sniff! Find me some tissues."

!ELDERSHIPPING!

For the rest of the night she mixed, tested and retested. It took a while but she had only one mishap and that was when the antidote she had mixed up reacted violently with the Kabuto oil and exploded the microscope.

"I guess I'm going to have to pay Samuel back for that."

"Mime (Duh)."

When she was absolutely sure she had found the cure she took the Kabuto fossil off the shelf and carefully unwrapped it. She found a diamond tipped needle for giving rock pokémon shots.

"Now for the true test." She carefully injected under what she hoped was the Kabuto's shell, six milliliters of her antidote.


	6. December 23

**Chapter 6-December 23**

She had sat there for eight long, grueling hours but nothing had happened. In the end Mimie had had to come downstairs to wake her up. She sighed heavily as she woke up and shook her head.

"It seems my antidote didn't work."

She reached for the fossil to put back on its shelf but it scuttled away.

"What the…"

She reached her hand out and it moved back further, shaking rock dust off as it did, revealing a tan shell and two glowing red eyes down underneath.

"It worked Mimie, it worked!"

"Mime!"

They both jumped up and down for a few seconds and then Delia remembered the now living Kabuto.

"What are we going to do about him, her, uh…it?"

Mimie immediately boxed the Kabuto in with his barrier attack and bonked it on the head, effectively knocking it out. He then tossed an empty pokéball at Delia.

"I guess doing housework hasn't worn away that pokémon battling instinct."

Mimie blushed and rubbed the back of his head.

"I'm glad." She deftly threw the pokéball at the fainted Kabuto. The pokémon flashed into it and the ball wobbled for a few seconds and then the light on it went out. Delia wrapped an arm around Mimie and did her son's favorite pose.

"Yes! I captured a Kabuto. Won't Ash be jealous, Mimie?"

"Mime my-mime-mimie my-mimie (Yeah, but what about the Professor)?"

"Oh my God, you're right!"

She shoved the laptop into Mimie's hands and grabbed the syringe and vial of her Kabuto oil antidote. They rushed upstairs to Samuel's side. Delia took one look at him, sneezed, and was shocked at what she saw. Everything but his chest and the lower part of his face had turned to stone and no matter what she did he wouldn't wake up.

"Ah-choo!"

Mimie handed her a tissue. "Mime my (Bless you)."

She blew her nose. "Thanks. Mimie, why didn't you tell me his condition had gotten worse?"

Mimie shrugged his shoulders. "My mimie-mime (You didn't ask)."

"No, I suppose I didn't."

She did a few calculations on the computer, factoring in size, species, and affected area to figure out how much to administer. Her eyebrows shot up at how little it was.

"Well, I guess that kind of makes sense. He's not a pokémon and he isn't as affected as that Kabuto."

"Mime my-my mime-my (Just get on with it)!"

"Alright, alright. You're so pushy."

She filled the syringe with twenty milliliters, disinfected his shoulder, though it seemed pointless since it was stone, and administered her antidote. All the while she and Mimie were both praying she hadn't made a mistake.

!ELDERSHIPPING!

Delia had sat on the floor, her chin resting on the couch cushions for four hours until Mimie had come over and forced her to take a shower and eat something. She now stood at the counter picking at her food. Mimie sat cross-legged on the coffee table keeping a watchful eye on Samuel.

"Mime!"

Delia rushed over. "What is it?"

Mimie jumped up and down. "My-mime (He moved)! My-mime!"

Delia stared at Samuel for a few seconds and nothing happened. "Are you sure?"

Mimie nodded his head vigorously. Delia knelt down next to the couch and watch Samuel for a few seconds. Still, nothing happened. She reached out and grabbed his rock-like hand. Needless to say she was startled when it crumbled. She almost pulled her hand away and screamed when she realized that she couldn't. Samuel was holding her hand. It might have been a reflex, it might have been a conscious action. Delia didn't care. She gently brushed her hand across his face and watched as it crumbled and revealed him whole and intact. She quickly took his pulse and made sure he was breathing. He was fine. She could have sworn that something was different but she just couldn't say what. She pushed the thought to the back of her mind and just sat there, watching him sleep peacefully.


	7. Christmas Eve

**Chapter 7-December 24, Christmas Eve**

The last thing Samuel remembered was falling asleep on the couch, Delia on the floor in front of him, studying yet another slide of Kabuto oil. The woman was tireless. He vaguely remembered a dream he had while he was zonked out, for how long he had no idea. He remembered holding Delia's hand, caressing her cheek, and asking her not to leave and then she smiled and kissed his cheek and told him not to worry. After that…Samuel blushed furiously. To put it simply, things had gotten very _intimate_. Even though he relished the dream at the same time he felt a wave of guilt wash over him. For the longest time he had been the kindly next door neighbor who had shared Delia's love for pokémon and worry for her son, Ash. Since he had been stuck in the lab with her for…he stopped to think for a second.

How long was I out for?

In the time he had shared with her, strange feelings had started to emerge. At first he was sure it was the usual male reaction to being with a pretty woman. But lately, he wasn't so sure. Every time they touched, even if it was innocent, he felt like a flock of Butterfree was dive-bombing in his stomach. It was becoming very uncomfortable. Being a scientist he tried to look at the problem scientifically and logically and yet he still could find no reasonable explanation. That led to only one conclusion and Samuel dreaded the thought of spilling his guts to Delia. More than likely she would see him as a perverted old codger who was having improper fantasies about his neighbor down the hill. He couldn't think of hurting her that way or losing her valuable friendship. His hormones and even more so, his heart, had other ideas, though.

Samuel blinked as he came awake. He looked around and caught sight of the clock on the wall. It was 7:00 and from the looks of it, late evening. His eyes felt gritty and he went to rub them. He was surprised on two accounts. First was the fact that he couldn't move his left hand; Delia held on to it for dear life, even in her sleep. The second was that his right hand was normal. He vigorously rubbed his eyes and found that his hand was covered in stone colored grit. He felt the couch and found it practically coated with it. Looking down at Delia, he realized that she had found a cure. She looked worse for wear, though. Her face was drawn and pale and there were dark purple patches under her eyes confirming that she had been up most of the night. He tried to pull his hand away without waking her, but since she was using it as a pillow he was hard pressed for any luck of the sort.

"Huh? Oh! Samuel, you're back."

"Back? I didn't go anywhere, did I?"

Delia smiled. "No, but I think you slipped into a coma yesterday."

Samuel's eyebrows shot up.

"And worse than that, the uh…rash, I guess you could call it that, had spread. The top half of your head and most of your body looked like it had been turned to stone."

"Well, it seems I'm better though. I take it you found a cure?"

"Yes, but I wasn't completely sure it would work. Oh, and I owe you a new microscope. I accidentally blew one up."

Samuel closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose. "I think I need to take a shower."

Delia and Mimie helped him up and across the room to the bathroom. After she had instructed Mimie to go and get Samuel a new set of clothes she helped him out of his sweatshirt and proceeded to pull down his pants.

"Delia! What are you doing?"

She looked up at him, completely serious. "I'm helping you get ready to shower."

She gently pushed him down on the toilet, took his socks and pants and then ordered him to hand over his boxers.

"Will you get out?"

"Samuel, I was a married woman for five years and lived with Ash for ten years now. I've seen it all before."

That might have been good and all but Samuel still didn't want her in the bathroom with him butt-naked. Delia left the bathroom rolling her eyes.

"Don't roll your eyes at me, young lady."

Delia raised an eyebrow. She wasn't even facing him when she'd done that and he had called her a young lady. She wasn't very young as far as she was concerned. She had just turned thirty-six and felt twice that old, especially when Ash came home. That boy has so much energy.

She flopped down on the couch when she heard the shower turn on. Santana was softly playing in the background.

_I ain't got nobody that I can depend on  
__I ain't got nobody that I can depend on  
__Yeah, yeah, yeah._

She yawned and fought back sleep as her eyelids drooped and then finally shut. A soft snore escaped her as she drifted off.

!Dream Sequence!

_**Delia was in her garden, working away as the fountain in the center burbled away, happily. The sun beat down overhead and she sat back on her heels and wiped her brow. She softly hummed a tune under her breath.**_

**I ain't got nobody that I can depend on  
****I ain't got nobody, da-da, da…da…**

_**Something like realization flashed across her face and her eyes began to swim with tears. "I really don't have anybody."**_

_**She pulled her gloves off and wiped her eyes. Next thing Delia knew, she was walking in the back door and hanging up her sun hat and apron.**_

"_**I'm going for a walk, Mimie."**_

_**He didn't look up from sweeping the bathtub and she walked out into the cool night air. A shooting star passed in front of the moon and she made a wish on it. Pikachu ran up and spoke to her with a voice that sounded like a young Ash.**_

"_**What did you wish for?"**_

"_**Now if I told you, it wouldn't come true silly."**_

_**The small, yellow pokémon shrugged its shoulders and went off in search of Ash. Another star shot overhead and Delia watched as it landed softly on the horizon and emitted a pale green glow.**_

Hey! I know it don't make any sense whatsoever. It's a dream, people. Work with me here!

_**She couldn't help herself as she began walking towards the strange glow. The sound of running water that had seemed to follow her had finally stopped. She knew that it meant something but for the life of her it just didn't register.**_

!ELDERSHIPPING!

Samuel stepped out of the shower and threw on his bathrobe. He ran a comb through his messy hair, stopped, and then took a closer look at himself in the mirror. Something was different. He put the comb down and ran his fingers through his hair and found why it looked so different. Peppered throughout his white hair were strands of dark brown. What the…I haven't had any color to my hair since I was forty.

He ran his hands over his face and found that the frown wrinkles between his eyebrows had disappeared and the crow's-feet at the corners of his eyes had diminished quite a bit. He looked, as far as he was concerned, younger. He stared at the mirror, utterly astounded and completely dumbfounded.

"Delia?" He waited a few seconds and when he didn't get a reply he quietly opened the door. There was no sign of her. Cinching the belt of his robe he ventured into the main room. He walked around the couch and found her sleeping soundly.

!ELDERSHIPPING!

_**She passed Professor Oak's pokémon preserve and saw all the Tauros Ash had caught grazing contentedly in the field. As she neared the strange star she saw it was hanging over the pokéberry tree on the edge of the preserve. It cast a haunting glow but Delia wasn't worried at all. As she stepped into the light Ash ran up with Pikachu on his shoulder.**_

"_**There you are mom. I was beginning to worry."**_

"_**Don't worry dear. You can always depend on me and I'll always be there."**_

_**Ash wrapped his arms around her. "You can bet I'll be there for you too."**_

_**She laid her head on his shoulder as she wrapped her arms around him and gently rocked him. She was wrong, she had Ash. She could always depend on him and knew that no matter where he was he would always run to her rescue. He was her baby and always would be. When she pulled back to look at him, she found she was no longer looking at Ash.**_

"_**Who are you?" It seemed as though Ash had disappeared and a complete stranger was now standing in front of her. But when she looked into his eyes she saw something familiar.**_

"_**Samuel!"**_

_**He took off his lab coat and placed it over her shivering frame. Suddenly, he lifted her up.**_

!ELDERSHIPPING!

Samuel found a quilt and wrapped it around her shivering body. Her face was flushed and when he felt her forehead, she was burning up. She had been so obsessed with finding a cure for him that she'd forgotten about her own well being and gotten sick. Seeing this, he felt a small flutter in his chest as lifted her into his arms and went to cart her off to one of the beds. He stopped momentarily when he realized there were no shooting pains in his back and very little ache in his knees. He was definitely younger. He placed her as gently as he could on the bed and tucked her in. Not being able to stop himself, and not wanting to stop, he kissed her forehead and lightly ran his thumb across her cheekbone.

"What are you doing to me, Delia?"

!ELDERSHIPPING!

_**Delia was jostled slightly as he sat on the bench under the pokéberry tree with her in his lap. He tucked his lab coat snuggly around her and leaned down and lightly kissed her forehead. Her eyelids fluttered closed. It had been a long time since a man had held her. Even longer since one had kissed her. He gently cupped her cheek, running his thumb across her cheekbone.**_

"_**What are you doing to me, Delia?"**_

"_**Samuel…"**_

!ELDERSHIPPING!

Samuel was surprised when she had said his name.

"Samuel, please…"

He sat next to her on the bed and leaned close to try and hear her whisper soft voice. He brushed the hair from her face. "What, Delia?"

"Please…don't go away."

He chuckled as he stood up. "Don't worry. I'm not going anywhere."

Samuel didn't see the smile creep over Delia's face as he quietly closed the door behind him and headed down stairs. Her dream just kept getting better and better.

!ELDERHIPPING!

Samuel had drawn some blood from his arm and was in the middle of studying it under a microscope to try and figure out why his physical appearance had changed when the videophone rang.

_Poké-poké, ring-ring-ring._

"Hello?"

"Hey Professor Oak!"

"Oh, hello Ash."

"Professor, you look different."

"Uh, yes. Seems your mother had something to do with it."

"Mom gave you a makeover?"

"…Something like that. I'll explain to everyone when you get back."

And I figure out what's going on. He thought silently to himself.

"I guess you're all better then, huh?"

"What? Oh, yes, I'm much better. How are you doing?"

"I'm kind of in a predicament."

Samuel was immediately concerned. "What's wrong?"

"Don't worry Professor. It's nothing serious."

"Well, anything I can help with?"

"Maybe. You're an old guy after all."

"I'm not that old."

"Sorry! I meant like, you've got experience with women."

"Uh, what do you mean Ash?" Samuel hoped to God that Ash wasn't in need of the dreaded 'talk.'

Ash's face turned bright red. "Nothing like that Professor. Brock already told me all about that. I just don't know what to get Misty for Christmas. It is tomorrow."

"Tomorrow!"

"Yeah…it is the 24th."

"Sorry, Ash. I've been…sleeping a lot, trying to get better."

"Oh."

"Why don't you ask Tracy or Brock? They would know what Misty would want for Christmas better than me."

"Yeah, but they might tell her. Besides, like I said earlier, you're…old, you've got more experience with this."

"Alright. How about some perfume? Girls love perfume."

"I don't."

"You're not a girl Ash."

"Yeah, but I'm always around her and I don't want to smell it!"

"Then you could get her a dress."

"I don't know what size she wears and if I ask, she'll know."

"You're right, this is a bit of a predicament." Samuel studied Ash for a second. He vaguely wondered why Ash felt he had to get a special gift for Misty. Then it hit him.

"How about you give her what's in here." He pointed to the screen, approximately where Ash's chest was. Ash looked down.

"All I've got in my jacket is some pokéchow and I don't think Misty likes that."

Samuel chuckled. "I meant you should tell her your feelings."

Ash blushed furiously. "Who said I was in love with Misty."

"You just did."

Ash face-faulted on the other end of the line. He stood up and gingerly rubbed the bump on his forehead. "So what do you suggest I do?"

"I'm not an expert on love. Ask Brock for help."

"No way! He goes gaga for every girl he sees. He'd probably tell me to tell her something gross."

"Good point. Then how about this." Samuel brought up some poems on his computer and faxed them to Ash.

"These are good, Professor. Did you write them?"

"Believe me, I'm no poet. They're some old blues standards."

"What do you want me to do with them?"

Professor Oak shook his head. The boy really was dense. "Read one to her or use them for inspiration and write her your own."

Ash heaved a sigh. "I guess. It's better than nothing."

"Oh, yes, one last thing. Since you're over in Goldenrod City, you might want to take a side trip to Azalea Town."

"Why's that?"

"I have a acquaintance there by the name of Kurt. For a small sum he'll turn an apricorn into a pokéball for you."

"Can't I just pick one of those up in the department store?"

"No, Ash. Kurt makes special balls. Ask him for a pink one. Just tell him I sent you to see him. He'll understand."

"Whatever you say Professor."

"Good luck."

"Yeah, and Merry Christmas. Tell my mom the same."

"Merry Christmas, Ash."

The screen went blank and voice from behind startled him. "Who was that?"

"Delia! What are you doing up?"

"I came to see who you were talking to. Was that Ash?"

"Yes. He told me to tell you Merry Christmas. You should be in bed, you're sick and need your rest."

"Oh, Samuel, I feel fine…or maybe not so fine." She started to sway as a wave of dizziness overtook her and she leaned heavily against the wall. Samuel rushed over and picked her up.

"Samuel, put me down. You'll hurt your back."

"My back's fine thanks to you." He started up the stairs.

"What?"

"It seems your cure put an extra fifteen-twenty years on my life. Physically, I'm probably close to your age now. How old are you, thirty?"

She smiled and leaned her head on his shoulder. It feels nice to be held again.

"Thanks for the complement, but I'm thirty-six."

"Really?" He placed her in the bed and pulled the covers up to her chin.

"You look very good for someone who's…"

She raised her hand to his mouth and grimaced. "Don't even say it."

"What? You look wonderful. You have no wrinkles and no gray hair." He smiled as he ran his hand through his own.

"Oh, yes I do. They're just well hidden." She lifted her hair to show the sprinkling at the nape of her neck. Samuel leaned close to get a better look and she caught a whiff of the soap he used. She couldn't help herself and leaned closer to him, breathing deeply. He suddenly sat back.

"So you have a few gray hairs. You're still in great shape, especially after giving birth. Most women can't lose the weight." He ran his eyes up and down her as covertly as he could but she still saw him. She blushed a fierce red as he headed to the bathroom. When he returned he shoved a thermometer in her mouth and took her pulse.

"What…"

"No talking." After a minute he took out the thermometer and shook his head.

"A hundred, you need to take better care of yourself, Delia."

She scooted further under the covers and shivered. "I was worried about you. Is it just me or is it cold?"

"It's you. I'll find something to warm you up."

How about you? Delia ducked under the covers to hide her blush as he headed out of the room. After a few seconds she resurfaced.

What a way to think about your neighbor! You should be ashamed of yourself, Delia! Now that Samuel looks younger and cuter, you shouldn't try to jump his bones! But then again, who could resist? Will's been gone for twelve years now. You should let yourself have some fun. But, then again, Samuel has been my next door neighbor and good friend for years. What would he think of me?

Samuel entered and handed her a small pokémon. "This is a Cyndaquil. He's a fire-mouse type. As long as you don't startle him, he should keep you nice and warm."

She cuddled the small warm body close to her. "Thank you for taking care of me, Samuel. It's nice to be fussed over for a change."

"I'm just returning the favor. I only hope I do as well as you." As he turned to leave she stopped him.

"Aren't you supposed to give me a kiss good night. To make sure I don't have any nightmares."

He sat back down on the edge of the bed. "Did you give me a kiss when I was sleeping? I had some wonderful dreams."

She smiled. "As a matter of fact, I believe I did."

He leaned over her and kissed her forehead. His lips lingered there longer than they should have, but neither had any complaints.

!ELDERSHIPPING!

Samuel lay on the couch, listening to the radio and mulling over his thoughts with only the darkness to keep him company. He was curled up under a quilt when Delia came out of her room. She stood in front of him and sniffled until he took notice.

"Why are you out of bed? It's too cold for you to be up and walking around."

"I think the power's out."

"What do you mean the power's out?"

"I tried to turn on the light but it wouldn't work. It's also getting colder." Before she could say anything else, he held a finger to his lips and turned the radio up.

_This is Samantha with your weather report at the top of every hour. The blizzard warning for most of southern Kanto is still in effect. And the power plant has called to announce that power has gone out in Celadon, Pewter, and Viridian City and all surrounding area. Their guess about when they'll have the plant up and running is anywhere between two to five days. Bundle up folks it's about to get chilly. Up next are some of your favorite Christmas songs here on PPKM._

"Told you so."

Samuel sighed. "I suppose we're going to have to find some way to keep warm."

He searched through the bedrooms and came back with a sweater for him and his robe for her. He helped her don it and as soon as she had the belt tied he wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her down on the couch with him.

"Samuel!"

He pulled a quilt over both of them and tucked Cyndaquil against her body as he tried to find a comfortable position. "Shush. It's going to get colder and the best way to keep warm now is with body heat."

She didn't feel any need to say anything. She was content enough to fall asleep in his arms. He wasn't far behind her.


	8. Christmas Day

**Chapter 8-December 25, Christmas Day**

Samuel cracked his eyes open to the bright morning sun and scowled at it. Why did it have to interrupt him when he'd finally gotten comfortable? He yawned and found that his chest felt heavy. Something was wrong. He hoped he wasn't having a heart attack. It was then that he realized that he felt two heartbeats, his own and…

Samuel completely opened his eyes and looked down to see the reason for the second heartbeat. His arm was wrapped protectively around Delia, who was curled up on his chest, the top of her head just brushing his chin. Her arms were wrapped around Cyndaquil and she looked so peaceful. He nervously looked her over and then himself and was relieved to see they were both fully clothed. He lay there for a few seconds remembering the events of last night and heard Bad Company playing faintly on the radio. He had forgotten to turn it off the night before.

_Feel like makin'…  
__Feel like makin' love,  
__Feel like makin' love,  
__Feel like makin' love,  
__Feel like makin' love to you._

Samuel groaned. "Oh, God. Don't play that song. Not now."

He gently settled Delia on the couch and hurried to take a very cold shower. For the next few hours he busied himself with finding a way to hook up his two Voltorbs' to get power back to the lab.

!ELDERSHIPPING!

Delia opened her eyes to find herself disappointingly alone. She wrapped the quilt around her and gathered up Cyndaquil and headed down the stairs. As she neared the bottom she heard and awful commotion. Most of the tables and chairs had been shoved out of the way and two huge blue gym mats were spread across the floor. Flying and tumbling across the mats were a Machoke, a Hitmonchan, a Hitmonlee, and Samuel. She watched with amazement as he fluidly moved between wrestling with the Machoke, boxing with the Hitmonchan, and practicing judo with the Hitmonlee. It wasn't until she sniffled that Samuel and the three pokemon took notice of her.

"Good morning and Merry Christmas. Feeling any better?"

"A little. Did you say it was Christmas?"

He nodded in affirmation. "Christmas morning."

"Do you always do this."

"Pretty often, though they usually have to go easier on me. When I was afflicted I really missed my morning workouts with them."

He motioned to the three pokémon stretching in the corner and they all flashed back into their balls. With his back turned to her, Delia admired the way Samuel looked without a shirt on. No wonder he was in peak physical condition. With regular workouts like the one she just witnessed she would be too. Samuel waved a hand in front of her face as she just stared at his bare chest.

"Hello…anyone home?"

"Oh, sorry. Just staring off into space."

He slipped his shirt on and internally she pouted. He picked something up and held it for her to see. "Look what I found, mistletoe."

"I don't think you want to kiss me. I am sick."

He shrugged his shoulders. "I already slept with you last night and I doubt that a peck on the cheek will get me sick."

He watched as Delia broke down laughing. "What's so funny?"

"What…hee-hee…what you just said."

He went through what he said in his head and then turned a dark scarlet. "I can't believe I just said that."

"Don't worry, I know what you meant."

He held the mistletoe above their heads. "Shall we?"

As he leaned in to kiss her cheek he accidentally jostled the sleeping Cyndaquil, whose back immediately flared up.

"Ah! Damn it!" Delia immediately dropped the little fireball as her knees buckled in surprise. Samuel reached out and caught her just before she hit him and was propelled back along with her. She landed heavily on top of him and he grunted from the force of impact. He was nose to nose with her. Delia's arms were around his neck and his around her waist. Both looked at each other, wide-eyed for a few moments.

"Are you okay?"

"I…ah, I think I burned your robe."

He gingerly sat up. "I'm more worried about you than the robe. The robe is replaceable, you're not."

She reluctantly unwrapped her arms from around him and pulled the robe close around her. Samuel gently brushed her hair back and cupped her cheek.

"What?"

"I'm just checking to make sure you don't have any bruises." His thumb brushed against her cheekbone.

"I didn't hurt you did I?"

"Nothing serious. I think we might have bumped heads." He was surprised when she ran her hand across the side of his face and then sat forward to gently kiss his cheek.

"What was that for?"

"Don't you know, kisses make everything better."

He chuckled softly. "I doubt you could make this headache better."

She pressed her lips to the spot between his eyes.

"Well, what do you know. My headache's gone. I guess your cure-all really does cure it all."

Delia smiled slightly and leaned closer to him. She reached around and picked the mistletoe off the ground. "Look what I found."

She held it over both of their heads and Samuel kissed her on the cheek. She meant to give him a quick peck back but, unknowingly, he turned his head and their lips locked. Both sets of eyes widened for a second and then Delia closed hers and leaned into him. It was no more than a millisecond later that Samuel was kissing her back with all the passion that had built up over the past few days. His arms were already around her waist and he pulled her tighter to him. Delia's hands dropped the mistletoe and tunneled her fingers through his hair.

Will never kissed me like this. Is this what I've been missing all these years? Delia, you shouldn't be doing this. Samuel's been your friend and neighbor for years and here you are practically making out with him. He probably thinks you're out of your mind. He must not think this is too bad though. He is still kissing you after all.>

Samuel thought about carrying her upstairs and then it hit him. She was sick and they had both been stuck in the same house for days and their hormones were running on high. He gently pulled back and her eyes popped open.

"Samuel?"

"I…we shouldn't be doing this."

She stared at him, utterly confused.

"Delia, you're sick and I shouldn't be taking advantage of you. We've both been stuck in the lab for days now and we aren't thinking straight. So, as I said, we shouldn't be doing this."

Delia knew she was thinking perfectly fine and found she was torn in two but nodded her head. Damn his gentlemanly behavior and logical mind!

Samuel helped her upstairs and sat her on the couch while he busied himself in the kitchenette. She felt around in between the couch cushions and pulled out the book Samuel had been reading, _Pokémon Myths and Legends._ She was intrigued as she flipped through the pages, reading the highlighted passages and the notes he had made in the margins. It seemed he was trying to prove the legends were true. Delia was so into the book that she didn't notice Samuel sitting across from her in an armchair.

"So, how do you feel about soup?"

She raised an eyebrow. "I thought you couldn't cook."

"Toast and soup are about the only things I can't mess up."

She reached for the soup when he stopped her hand and put two aspirin in her palm and handed over a glass of water. "First this, for your fever, and then you can eat."

She swallowed the pills, wincing at the pain in her throat. He carefully handed her the tray and sat back with mug of tea cupped in his hands. Delia swallowed a spoonful of the soup and realizing how hungry she was, practically tried to down the whole bowl in one gulp. Samuel reached over and stilled her hand.

"If you eat to fast you'll make yourself sick."

She nodded as the nausea rose in her throat and slowly nibbled at the piece of toast and sipped her tea. "What was your wife Rose like, Samuel?"

He stared down at his cup of tea for a few seconds. "Actually, she was a bit like you. Caring, receptive, a good listener…"

"Stubborn, a smart ass, and an air-head."

Samuel chuckled. "No, she was much quieter and she didn't have your sense of humor, either."

"I like to keep life interesting."

"That's true but I've never known you to be stubborn."

It was Delia's turn to laugh. "Where do you think Ash got it from?"

"Actually I assumed he got it from his father. What was William like?"

Delia sighed into her tea. "Will was…In all truthfulness, he was a jackass."

Samuel blinked at her. "That's an interesting way to talk about your husband. Especially since he's passed on."

Delia snorted. "Will isn't dead. He's living over in Johto on the edges of Mt. Moon with some old girlfriend of his."

"But I thought Ash said he was dead."

"No, Will is very much alive. He writes once in a great while and sends Ash birthday cards, if he remembers. As far as Ash is concerned, Will's been dead for years."

"He left when Ash was what, two?"

"Ash was barely a year old when I walked in and found Will in bed with an old flame of his. I found out the hard way that he didn't love me. I took Ash and went to a friend's house and when I came back I found a 'Dear Dee,' note. That's when I moved to Pallet Town."

"I'm so sorry Delia."

She looked him strait in the eye. "I'm not. I'm just glad I found out when I did. I was completely in love with the man and it's taken all these years to see that he was in the wrong and not me."

"How anyone could leave you, I can't imagine."

"Samuel, I'm stubborn, argumentative, and I can be really stupid sometimes."

"You're also a caring person. You put others before yourself, you're brave, and very beautiful, if I do say so myself."

"Thanks. I do appreciate the complement, even if it isn't true."

"You underestimate yourself, Delia. Just look at how you took care of me." She simply shrugged.

"I think you even passed on some of your better traits on to Ash."

"What, my stubbornness?"

"Did I ever tell you how Ash saved me and possibly the rest of the world?"

"What are you talking about Samuel?"

He sat back with his tea, preparing to tell her a long story.

Basically, it was Pokémon 4-Ever from his point of view.

!ELDERSHIPPING!

Delia stared open mouthed at him as Samuel finished his narrative. She was speechless and a bit dumbfounded.

"Did you just make that up? You and Ash did all that!"

"May Electabuzz's lightning bolt strike me."

She waited a few seconds and when nothing happened she decided it must have been true. She felt slightly dizzy and put a hand to her head. Samuel sat forward, immediately concerned. "Are you all right, Delia?"

"Yes, I'll be fine. It's just that your story is quite a bit to take in. To think you and Ash could have been hurt or killed so many times."

He laid her back against the couch and took away the now empty tray. He pulled a quilt over her and comforted her as best he could.

"There's nothing to worry about, Delia. Nothing happened and we're perfectly safe. Maybe you should get some rest."

Delia pillowed her head with a hand. "Sleep, that sounds good right now."

Samuel sat by her side until she fell into a dreamless sleep.

!ELDERSHIPPING!

Delia had been asleep for a half-hour and Samuel was beginning to feel restless. He wandered the upstairs and then the lab. Passing by the bookshelves he absently picked one out and stared down at it. It was his old sketchbook. He grabbed a few more and headed upstairs to keep an eye on Delia in case she needed anything.

I can't believe I drew these.>

Samuel flipped through the worn and yellowed pages at the still precise and sharp drawings. He found it hard to imagine that he'd drawn them. He flipped a few pages and found one of a Ponyta in mid-gallop and thought back to that day.

!Flashback!

Sammy had, once again, gotten himself lost. He felt his throat close up and his eyes start to itch. No! I'm not going to break down and cry. Ash never did, he was brave. So, I won't either, I'm brave too.>

The young boy straitened his shoulders and walked through the trees, determined to find the path. Why did I have to leave the path? It was just a stupid Oddish. There must be a thousand others out there.>

A sound off to his right startled him. He tentatively ventured into the dense brush and found a Ponyta caught in a pokémon trap. More than likely the owner of the trap wouldn't be by till tomorrow morning. Sammy looked around nervously as he chewed his bottom lip. Seeing no one about he crept up to the frightened animal, trying not to scare it. The wild Ponyta caught sight of him and began to buck and rear wildly. Sammy reached out a hand and talked quietly.

"It's okay, buddy. I know, I know. You're scared, like me. Don't worry, I won't hurt you. I just want to get you free of those stupid ropes."

He took out his Swiss Army knife and cleanly slit the ropes the bound its back legs. The Ponyta took off towards the edge of the clearing. It stopped as soon as it reached the trees and sensing no hostility coming from the boy, looked back. Sammy smiled with victory, waved the Ponyta off, and headed back to his prior search for the path. The pokémon followed him quietly until Sammy gave up hope and plunked down on a fallen tree. Realizing the young boy was in tears it boldly came up to Sammy and nuzzled his head.

"What the…oh, it's you. Are you lost too?"

The Ponyta shook its head and motioned to the boy. Sammy didn't understand.

"What? Is something hanging from my nose?"

The Ponyta took the back of Sammy's shirt in its teeth and deposited the boy on his back. Sammy was scared for a second, expecting to get burned. When he didn't, Sammy immediately relaxed.

"So, do you know the way out?"

The Ponyta bobbed its head and took off at a brisk trot. Sammy took in the breathless sights of the forest and was saddened when they reached the edge of the woods and the path he had strayed from. Sammy hopped off and stroked the Ponyta's neck.

"Thank you my friend. I will always be in your debt."

The Ponyta shook its fiery mane and nuzzled his head.

"Could I ask one favor though?"

The pokémon cocked its head.

"Can draw you before you run off?"

!ELDERSHIPPING!

Samuel smiled at the fond memory and stroked the picture. He set that notebook down and picked up another. This one had his sketches of Ash, Pikachu, and Celebi. Flipping through it he found he had only filled half the book. At first he couldn't figure out why. Then he remembered. This sketchbook had only his best memories drawn into it and he decided, picking up a pencil, to see if he still had the skill.

!ELDERSHIPPING!

Delia slowly came awake. The clock read six and she wandered over to the window. The sun was just starting to dip below the horizon and the sky was clear. Maybe the storm was finally over. Delia felt remarkably well. She heard Samuel snoring from the armchair and smiled as she checked on him. She pulled the pencil from behind his ear and carefully pried the sketchbook from his grasp. After covering him with her quilt, she settled back on the couch and opened his sketchbook. In it she found drawings of Ash and Pikachu. There were also a few of a pokémon she didn't recognize. She ran her fingers over the sketch that had been done over forty years ago. It was small and fairy-like with large luminescent eyes and a cheerful grin.

So this is Celebi. Samuel really is quite the artist.>

She flipped the page and was startled at what she saw. It was her, asleep on the couch. It looked so realistic that she was certain that if she wasn't careful, it would wakeup and walk right off the page. She quietly closed the book and stood up. She checked on Samuel and finding him still asleep, she kissed his lips and whispered to him.

"Merry Christmas, Sam."

Feeling a bit better than she had earlier that day, Delia decided she was long overdue for a shower. She wrinkled her nose as she looked herself over in the mirror.

"Oh, yes. I'm in definite need of a shower."

She quickly stripped and turned the heat up in the shower as she stepped in.

"Ah…I'm going to stay in here till I look like a wrinkled up red Krabby."

!ELDERSHIPPING!

Samuel groaned as he levered himself up from the armchair. It was nice that Delia had let him sleep but nodding off in an armchair was quite uncomfortable, even in his newly regenerated body. He scrubbed his hands over his face and realized he needed to shave.

"Well, no time like the present." He then noticed Delia was gone.

"Uh, Mimie, where's Delia?" Mimie didn't even look up from the poker game as he hooked a bulbous thumb over his shoulder at the bathroom.

"Thanks."

"Mime."

Samuel shuffled over and knocked.

"Who is it?"

He cracked the door open. "Just me. You mind if I come in."

Delia stuck her dripping head around the shower curtain. "No problem. Just don't peak."

Samuel chuckled as he wiped the steam from the mirror.

"Would you mind turning down the heat. You're steaming the mirror up."

He heard the handles squeak and soon the steam diminished to about half. He quickly lathered up and was about to proceed when he realized the water had stopped. In his peripheral vision he saw a hand snake out from behind the curtain and reach out for a towel. He grabbed one from the shelf and stuck it in Delia's outstretched hand.

"Thanks."

"Mm-hm." Samuel stroked the razor down his cheek, revealing a patch of smooth skin. He went to do it again when the shower curtain shot aside, startling him.

"Ow!"

Delia made sure the towel was tucked firmly around her as she stepped out of the shower. "Now what did you do?"

"I just nicked myself." He dabbed a spot of blood. Delia retrieved the dropped razor and sat on the counter.

"What are you doing?"

"Will was prone to cutting himself with a razor, too."

"I can't imagine why." She raised an eyebrow at him.

"So, I ended up shaving him. Don't worry; I'm actually quite good at this."

Before he could protest she firmly gripped his lathered chin and firmly but gently stroked the razor down his cheek. Within a few seconds one smooth cheek appeared and then the other. She stopped for a second and looked critically at him.

"What? Is something hanging from my nose?"

"I was just wondering how you'd look with a mustache and goatee."

Samuel pulled a face. "I already tried that. I ended up looking scruffy and wild."

Delia chuckled and quickly shaved his upper lip. She was almost done with his chin when she accidentally nicked him.

"Ow!"

"Oh, oh! Sorry. I'm so sorry." The razor dropped from her hands and without thinking she placed her lips to the small cut. When she withdrew he looked at her for a few seconds. She smiled weakly and mumbled an apology. He smiled back and she summed up all her courage and kissed Samuel. His eyes widened at first, he couldn't help himself after that. A menagerie of colors exploded behind closed eyelids as she ran her tongue across the seam of his lips. Samuel gave in slightly and dragged her close to him. A small sigh escaped her and she ran her lather-covered fingers through his hair, making it stand up at even weirder angles. She began nibbling his neck and his eyes popped open.

"Dee, we shouldn't…"

She gently bit the sensitive spot just above his shoulder and he groaned.

"Hmm?"

"Delia, we shouldn't be doing this."

"Why?"

"Because."

She laid her forehead on his shoulder and breathed a sigh of frustration. "Sam. What's wrong? Is it me? I know I don't look like a model and…"

He gently sat her up and more importantly, away from him.

"Delia, there's nothing wrong with you. You're a beautiful and vivacious woman. Long legs, slinky and slender and you have all the right curves in all the right places. Whoever it was that said that those stick-thin models were sexy must have been out of their heads. I would be sorely surprised if any man turned you down."

"You just did." Tears began to swim through her vision.

Samuel did the one thing that he knew was wrong; he wrapped her in his arms. "Yes, but I have good reason to."

"What's that?"

"I…" Samuel held his breath and tried to calm the fierce beating of his heart.

"I've cared for you for a long time, Delia. But more as a friend than anything else and I just don't know how I feel about you now that we've been stuck in the same house…I just don't know."

She sniffled and wiped her eyes on his shirt. She pulled her towel close around her. "If you don't want me, you just have to say so."

"Believe me Dee, wanting you isn't the problem."

She sniffled again. "Well, whatever your reason, the storm's over and I think I should probably leave tomorrow morning."

Delia quickly scooted off the counter and past Samuel to hide in her room. She pulled on her pajamas and flopped down on the bed. A single tear trickled down her cheek. She had no luck with men. Will had left her and Samuel had turned down her advances. Maybe she'd been too strong or maybe she just wasn't as desirable as she had hoped she was. She closed her eyes as another tear rolled down her face and a fitful dream overtook her in sleep.


	9. Flashback

**Chapter 9-Flashback to the Beginning**

Delia had come home that day to find Will, her husband, making out with his high school sweetheart. Ash was crying from the other room and Delia left the bedroom doorway to find that Will had left their eight-month old baby unattended. Silently crying, Delia packed a few things and left with a wailing Ash wiggling in her arms. She rode down the elevator from her apartment and caught a cab across town to a good friend of hers. A young blond with large crimson eyes stuck her head out.

"Delia?"

"Hey, Fiona."

Fiona immediately drew her friend in when she saw her tear-strewn face and Ash's whimpering form. Fiona took Ash from the shell-shocked Delia and cuddled the colicky baby to her. "Go sit down, Delia."

Delia immediately did what she was told and Fiona took Ash to the bathroom to change and wash him. A tall man with spiky black hair came out of the kitchen, his brown eyes flashing concern.

"Honey, what's going on?"

"Van, I need some help."

"Anything."

"Take care of Ash, Dee's out there bawling and I'm going to find out why. I have a bad feeling about it."

"Sure, hand over the munchkin."

Van eagerly took the baby and Ash took to him right away. "How about if your Uncle Van takes care of you, little dude, while Aunt Fay looks after your mom."

Ash squealed and clutched at Van's nose.

"I'b got da mun'kin. You go and helb Dee."

Fiona kissed him on the cheek and rushed to Delia's side while Van carted the giggling Ash to the kitchen for something to eat.

"Delia, honey, what's wrong?"

"Will…" She drew in a deep breath and tried to keep her tears at bay.

Fiona wrapped a comforting arm around Delia's shoulders. "It's alright, you can tell me."

"I saw Will…s-s-sleeping with…with that…that…"

"What?"

"He was making out with Jane!"

"Janey, his ex-girlfriend?"

"From the looks of it she isn't his ex any more."

"Oh God, Dee. That bastard! Listen, Van's got some rope in the garage. We'll go to your apartment and string him up by his privates and hang him from the balcony so everyone can see what a jackass he is."

Delia busted up laughing at the image. Her laughter slowly died down and she hugged Fiona. "Thanks, I needed that."

"Any time. That's what friends are for."

"What am I gonna do?"

Fiona hauled Delia off the couch and shoved her in the general direction of the bathroom. "First, you're gonna take a shower. You look horrible. Your mascara's running and your make-up's smeared."

She heard the videophone ring in the living room. "I'm going to get that and when I get back I expect you to be in the shower."

"Yes, mom."

"I don't want any lip!"

Delia chuckled as she locked the door. Fiona picked up the phone and found herself face to face with a very worried looking Will.

"Fiona! Thank God you're home."

Fiona's temper rose for a second and then she decided to play it safe and act dumb. "What's wrong Will?"

"It's Delia. She, uh…hasn't come home yet and I'm, ah…getting worried. She hasn't stopped by there has she?"

"No. I haven't seen her since last weekend. Should I send her your way if I see her around?"

"Yeah, I'd appreciate it." A female voice came from Will's right and he became panicky. "I gotta go. Thanks, Fiona."

Fiona hung up the phone and stared out the window for a minute or two. "Yeah, same to you, you freaking jackass."

Fiona wandered into the kitchen and found Van feeding spoonfuls of pudding into Ash's eager mouth.

"Who was that?"

"Will."

"What happened?"

"Dee walked in to find him making out with Janey."

Van shook his head and fed Ash more pudding. "That bastard!"

"And the worst part is I knew they weren't meant for each other right from the get-go. The only reason Will hooked up with Dee was to get back at Janey."

"Why didn't you tell her?"

"At first I thought Will was sincere. But after a couple months she kept telling me that he was working late and I was starting to fear the worst. The only reason I didn't tell her was that she seemed so happy and she was already pregnant. To think I could have spared her all this grief."

"No, I doubt that. Even if you had told her, she probably would have said you were crazy or jealous."

"Yeah, I'd better go check on her."

!ELDERSHIPPING!

Fiona and Delia had binged on ice cream and cried their eyes out for a while. And then Van suggested that they go to the park. When they got there, Fiona noticed Delia had finally relaxed as she started to play with Ash. That baby was the only good thing left in her life. That evening Fiona and Van accompanied Delia back to her apartment. Surprisingly enough, they found it empty. Fiona wandered into the kitchen area and found a note taped to the fridge. She peeled it off and stared at it for a few seconds until Delia walked in.

"What's that?"

She wordlessly handed it over to Delia and shifted Ash to one side and she slowly read it. Her breath began to hitch and tears rolled down her face. The paper fluttered from her hand and landed gently from the floor. Fiona grabbed Ash as Delia's knees buckled. Van walked in as Fiona swooped Ash into her arms and he wrapped his arms around Delia and tried to shush her wailing. Fiona squatted down and picked the crumpled note.

"That bastard!"

"Shh…shh. It's gonna be okay, Dee. What's wrong?"

"He left her. Says here he picked up the magnet train in Saffron City over to Goldenrod in Johto."

Delia pulled back from Van and shakily sat in a nearby chair. "What am I going to do? I don't know what I'm going to do. I can't stay here. Not after HE was here."

Fiona reached over and gently rubbed Delia's shoulder. "Dee, go pack. You can stay with us."

"No, I don't want to impose."

Van left for a second and then came back carrying a suitcase. "Impose, schmimpose. You can stay until you find another place."

Fiona handed the baby back to Delia. "If you won't do it for any other reason, Dee, do it for Ash."

!ELDERSHIPPING!

One month later Delia was wandering Pallet Town behind the realtor of that area. She was an elderly woman who didn't act the part. Effervescent and friendly, Ash had immediately liked Abby, the realtor and so had Delia because of that fact. They had been looking at houses for a good portion of the morning. They had shared a lunch in Viridian City and Delia had learned about Abby's grandkids. Now she was showing Delia around a small, white house with a large backyard.

"And there's a lovely park not but a few blocks from here. It's actually Professor Oak's pokémon preserve but he lets the town use it as a park as long as they don't harm any of the pokémon or litter."

"Professor Oak, THE Professor Samuel Oak!"

"Well, yes. Who else would it be?"

"That's amazing!"

"How's that dear?"

"He was my Basic Pokémon teacher at Celadon University. Do you know if he's still teaching there?"

"No, he doesn't. My daughter lives around here. She tells me all the latest gossip. Says he doesn't leave his lab much."

"No, he never was much of a socialite. Could I see the preserve?"

"Sure, we can talk on the way." They wandered the preserve, enjoying the sights and sounds around them.

"So what's the good Professor up to now?"

"He trains college students sent from all over Kanto and Johto. They eventually go on to be some of the most highly demanded assistants, researchers, or Professors."

They walked in silence for a few seconds until a voice from behind them caused Delia to turn around.

"Delia? Delia Peabody?"

"It's Ketchum now. Spencer Hale! What are you doing here?"

"I'm studying under Professor Oak. And what are you, a married woman doing out here?"

"Looking for a house."

Spencer caught sight of Ash. "And who's this fine young man?"

"My little guy, Ash."

He squatted down and began playing with the baby. "What are you doing out here by yourself? Where's your husband? I'd like to meet him."

"Will's gone."

"I'm so sorry for your loss."

"It's alright."

"So are you going to live out here?"

"I'm thinking about it. There's a nice house down the road I can run my flower shop out of and Ash really seems to like the preserve."

"I think you'd like it here. My fiancée lives in town here. We'll take you out to dinner sometime."

!ELDERSHIPPING!

Delia bought the small, white house within a week and had her floral shop open not long after. She became immediate friends with the town and even got the Professor to come out of his lab once in a while with the help of the rest of the town.


	10. December 26

Hey, a short chappie. It's amazing.

**Chapter 10-December 26**

Samuel rolled over in bed to look as the digital clock changed to 12:01. His eyes traveled around the dark room. The door was ajar and he could hear Robert Palmer playing on the radio.

_Riptide, lost in a riptide  
__Torn between 2 loves, the old and the new  
__Riptide caught in a riptide  
__Where will it take me? What shall I do?  
__My heart is tossed on a sea of emotion  
__One love offers romance, the other devotion  
__A new love is calling; the old love is pleading  
__I'm caught in a riptide  
__What shall I do?_

"Sing it Rob." Samuel turned his eyes to look at the moonlight filtering through the window.

Rose, I need your help. You were always the decisive one. What should I do? Give me a sign.

He smiled slightly into the darkness. " Well, I suppose it's my own fault. You were always telling me I shouldn't start something if I couldn't finish it."

Samuel slipped off to sleep and had a strange dream that ended with him being pulled in two different directions.

!ELDERSHIPPING!

The next morning Samuel wordlessly helped Delia and Mimie haul their things back to her house. They stood silent in the doorway for a moment. Samuel, finding the silence agonizing, tried to fill it.

"Uh, Dee…I, um…"

She gently placed her hand over his mouth. "Don't say anything, Sam. It'll just make this worse. But if you'll let me…"

He nodded silently seeing as she hadn't removed her hand. She did so then, knowing he wouldn't interrupt her.

"I'm beginning to wonder if we weren't meant to be something more than just friends. My heart tells me yes but you…you send me mixed signals. Just…(sigh)…don't start something unless you intend to finish it."

He silently nodded. What else could he do? "I'll see you at the New Year's Eve party at the preserve then?"

"Of course, we wouldn't miss it."

"Make sure Ash brings his friends with him. I think they'll be in for a surprise."

"I'm sure they will."

Samuel turned to leave and then called back over his shoulder. "And take care of that cold."

Finding nothing else to say he bid her farewell and she silently closed the door behind him as he slowly descended the porch steps. He ran his fingers through his hair, befuddled and not sure why. Then it dawned on him.

_**Just…(sigh)…don't start something unless you intend to finish it.**_

Samuel hung his head in despair. Rose had given him the sign he needed; he just realized it too late. He needed to get back to the lab, Tracy would be back soon and he needed to start planning for the party. Samuel stopped for a second and a small smile appeared on his face. Maybe there was hope.


	11. December 28

**Chapter 11-December 28**

Samuel sat on the exam room table and buttoned up his shirt while the doctor read a file that a technician had just handed him. Samuel quirked an eyebrow at the younger man in question.

"And?"

Thomas Wroblewski, Samuel's doctor and close friend, scratched his head in confusion and then handed the file to the Professor who perused the results. "I don't get Sam. For all intense purposes, you have the body of a man in his late 30's. What the hell did you do?"

"You wouldn't believe me even if I told you, Tom. Suffice it to say, my research went awry and I suffered some minor alterations from it."

"I'll say. Do you know what people would pay for something like this? You realize that you could change the field of science and medicine…"

Samuel sent the doctor a look. "No, Tom. What happened to me was a fluke. I highly doubt that the exact conditions could be recreated. I didn't come to you to tell I'd found a cure to old age. I came to you to make sure nothing was wrong with me."

"Over all, you're in perfect health Sam. Your white cell count is a little high. But the tech's just figured that was because you have some foreign chemicals floating around in your bloodstream."

Samuel's eyebrows shot up as he flipped to the lab printout. "I thought you said I was in perfect health?"

Thomas tapped a finger on the page. "I seriously don't think theirs anything to worry about. They identified two distinct chemicals in your system. The first one has actually bound itself to your DNA and is now officially part of your genetic makeup. The second was a solution that was 90 saline and every time it goes through your system it breaks down and gets filtered out. We figure it'll be completely gone in a couple more weeks."

"But what about that first one being part of my DNA?"

Thomas let out a frustrated huff and snatched the file from Samuel's hands. "There is nothing wrong with you Sam! But I do want you to come back every two weeks for a full checkup so we can monitor you. Does that make you feel any better?"

Samuel ran a hand through his hair. "Sorry about that Tom. I didn't mean to blow up on you. I just have a lot on my plate right now."

"Women troubles?"

Samuel rolled his eyes. "Don't even get me started."

!ELDERSHIPPING!

After the whole episode at the doctor's office, Samuel decided to get the worst over with and explain exactly what happened. So, he gathered up his newly returned assistants along with Brock, Misty, and Ash.

It took him two hours and multiple questions later to fully explain the fiasco. Almost all the assistants stared at him with open mouths. Ash and Company (Tracy included) seemed the least bit fazed. Which was understandable after all the weird crap they'd been through over the years.

Slowly the college students shook themselves from their dazes and headed off to do their chores and contemplate the information the Professor had left them with. This left only Ash, Misty, Tracy, and Brock sitting quietly on the upstairs sofa, watching as Samuel lowered himself to his armchair.

He dropped his head back and stared at the ceiling before addressing the kids. "You probably have a million questions running through your head right now."

"No."

Misty whacked Ash upside the head for his idiotic bluntness. "What he meant was, we're all just wondering how you're doing dealing with all this?"

Tracy leaned forward and propped his chin on his fists. "Yeah. Is this, like, permanent?"

"I'm…" Samuel stared up impassively. "I'm dealing. As to the permanent part; the doctor wants to see me every other week to keep tabs on my condition."

"You make it sound like you have some kind of terminal disease Professor." Brock said as he fed a piece of pokechow to Pikachu.

"Who says I don't have some sort of illness?"

"Who says you don't?" Ash asked as he watched Togepi trundle around the floor and disappear under the Professor's armchair in search of something. "I don't know. Mom would probably say you have a…what's it called? A new lease on life."

Togepi suddenly popped out from under the chair and climbed into Samuel's lap and then on to his shoulder and seemed to study the man's face with intensity for a few minutes. Everyone giggled when he let out a sudden burp and held out a slightly crumpled piece of paper for Samuel to inspect.

He carefully smoothed it out and found himself looking at the picture he'd drawn of Delia not but three days ago, it had fallen out of the drawing pad. Togepi watched the older man stare at the sketch for a moment before gently patting his cheek and 'prii-ing' nonsensically.

"Pika pika-pi chu." Pikachu stated matter-of-factly as he brushed crumbs from his whiskers.

Ash affectionately rubbed the electric-rodent's head. "You're right buddy. It'll all work out in the end."


	12. New Year's Eve

**Chapter 12-December 31, New Year's Eve**

Samuel wasn't surprised at how quickly news of his youthening had spread to the town. He was surprised, however, at how they all just seemed to take it in stride. No one looked at him differently; except for Delia, who primarily tried to avoid him and not for the reasons he thought.

She was afraid those few days that if she saw him she would do one or both of two things: strangle him and/or jump him, and not necessarily in that order.

He'd worked on plans for the New Year's Party for the past three days and it was now time to put his little scheme to work on one Mrs. Delia Ketchum.

He answered the door to find Ash, Misty, Brock, and of course Delia.

"Happy New Year! You all look wonderful." He welcomed.

Ash had actually forgone his hat at his mother's behest and had actually brushed his usually messy hair. He tugged at the blue bow tie that threatened to strangle him.

"See Mom, Professor Oak and Tracy aren't wearing ties. Can I please take mine off now?"

Before Delia could reprimand him, Samuel interjected. "Why not? It doesn't look very comfortable."

He whipped off the offending tie and stuck around Pikachu's neck. "Yeah, it's about three sizes too small for me."

Pikachu checked his reflection in Samuel's spit-shined shoes.

"Pika-pi! (Look out ladies!)"

Since he liked what he saw, he tugged a happily 'prii-ing' Togepi off to find food. Mimie squeezed between Ash and Delia and up the stairs with a pack of cards clutched in his gloved hands. Everyone chuckled at the sight.

Misty looked fetching in her aquamarine twin-set, but like Ash, fidgeted a bit through the formalities. "You look pretty cool dressed up Professor. Why do you wear that unflattering lab coat all the time?"

Samuel blushed slightly and crossed his arms over his maroon dress shirt. "I'm a pokémon researcher, Misty. I work in a lab most of the day. What else would I wear?"

Ash crossed his eyes at Misty just out of her line of vision, but not out of his mother's. She reached over and gently tweaked his ear to let him know to behave. The two teens quickly bowed respectfully in front of the Professor and thanked him before rushing off to find Tracy. Brock, feeling very much the adult in his slate gray polo and black slacks, shook Samuel's hand. Before Brock could follow Ash and Misty he was over-powered by a gang of dark-haired children.

"Ah, yes, I forgot to mention Brock, but I invited your family. I hope it wasn't too forward of me. I've been wanting to meet them considering how much I've heard."

A single tear squeezed out between the young man's squinting eyes. Before Brock could say anything his father, Flint, rushed over and herded the mass back towards the food. The two adults stood there for a few seconds not sure what to do now that all the kids had gone their separate directions.

"Ah, can I take your coat?" The Professor asked tentatively.

"Oh! Um, yes, yes, of course." She started to take off her jacket when both were startled by a loud scream. Daisy, Lily, and Violet had found Misty and all three had wrapped their little sister in a huge hug and were bouncing up and down.

"You invited Celadon's Sensational Sisters, too."

"I guess I'm just a glutton for punishment."

"I'll say."

Before Delia could think, Samuel had slipped behind her and gently extricated her from her fleece jacket. She could practically feel his eyes on her.

"You look particularly lovely tonight. Is that a new dress?"

She ran her hands nervously over her stomach. "No, it's just something I forgot I had in my closet."

It needs to come out of the closet more often. Samuel couldn't help but run his eyes up and down her. The dress wasn't really that revealing but didn't leave much to the imagination either. It was a purple sheath that went down just past her knees with a scoop neck and long sleeves that clung to every curve. Samuel straitened, draped the jacket over his arm, and smiled genuinely at her.

"Enjoy your evening, Mrs. Ketchum."

He returned to the foyer to answer the door leaving Delia little confused. She didn't have chance to wonder about it since she had to rush over to stop Ash and Brock from instigating a belching contest between them, Tracy, and the younger Slate children.

!ELDERSHIPPING!

Samuel scanned the room; glad everything was going so well. He was lucky that his granddaughter, May was out of college for a few weeks and was able to coerce her into playing deejay. If she hadn't agreed his only other option would have been Gary. He grimaced at the thought.

At the moment his delinquent of a grandson was in the corner scowling at everyone. One of the Slate boys came over to Samuel and tugged on his pant leg.

"Mista Oak?"

He bent down so he was eye level with him. "What can I do for you, my boy?"

"I gotta go to da potty. I don't know where it is. Will you take me?"

"I would but I'm busy greeting guests. Now, if you go ask Gary," he pointed to his grandson in the corner, "He knows where the bathroom is."

The little boy peered over there for a second. "Are you sure? He looks mean."

"Nah, he's a big softie."

"Okey-dokey. Tanks, Mista Oak!"

!ELDERSHIPPING!

Gary watched as one of Brock's younger brothers headed from his grandfather over to stand fidgeting in front of him.

"What?"

"I gotta go potty. Mista Oak said you know where the baf-room is."

"So?" Gary caught his grandfather glaring at him out of the corner of his eye from across the room and stuck his hand out to the boy.

"Uh…err, sure, come on shorty."

Samuel smiled as he watched Gary swing the young boy onto his back and cart him up to the bathroom. Now, at least, he'll forget about losing at the Indigo League for a while. That boy'll keep him busy for sure.

!ELDERSHIPPING!

Samuel leaned against the wall, watching people on the dance floor. Brock was swinging one of Misty's sisters around, he thought her name was Daisy, but Samuel wasn't sure. Delia was dancing with Flint, Brock's dad, and he watched as she laughed at something the other man said and felt a slight pang of jealousy, but quickly squashed it. His eyes wandered over the other dancers and finally landed on Tracy, whose gaze was fixed on the deejay. Samuel strolled over and stood silently next to the mesmerized boy waiting for him to take notice. When that failed to work Samuel leaned over and whispered in Tracy's ear.

"Dirty thoughts can be a very bad idea, especially ones about my granddaughter."

Tracy turned a violent shade of red. "I, um…I wasn't thinking anything."

"Right…Listen, my boy, I can get you a dance with her…"

"Really?"

"Yes, but you need to do something for me first. I need you to cut in on Mr. Slate and dance over here with Mrs. Ketchum."

The young boy eagerly agreed and rushed off. Within minutes Flint was dancing with his youngest daughter while Tracy steered Delia over to where Samuel stood with May. As they neared May stepped forward and tapped Delia on the shoulder. "Excuse me Mrs. Ketchum. I'm about to steal your dance partner."

"By all means."

After the two teens waltzed away Delia rocked back and forth on her heels for a few seconds and stole a glance at Samuel. "Looks like I'm short a dance partner."

Samuel held his hand out to her. "Would you like to dance?"

She smiled shyly and took his hand. Samuel caught the eye of the new deejay, he was pretty sure it was Lily, and winked at her. She smiled back at him and waved a CD at him. As Samuel swung Delia around the floor Rod Stewart began to sing.

_You're in my heart, you're in my soul  
__You'll be my breath should I grow old  
__You are my lover, you're my best friend.  
__You're in my soul._

Samuel pulled Delia close. "I'm sorry Dee."

"Sorry for what?"

"I'm sorry for being such an ass. I was wondering if we could start over."

"I don't know. I don't take kindly to men who break my heart."

"I didn't know I even had your heart."

"Sam you've had my heart since Christmas. Hell, before Christmas."

"I wish there was something I could do to mend it."

"I just want it back. Broken or not."

He spun her out and back as the song ended and pressed up against her for what he thought was the last time. "Just think about what I said."

_**Only four more chappies and an epilogue to go. This story's turning into a novel.**_


	13. January 4

**Chapter 13- January 4**

Tracy locked the front door and turned to see Mrs. Ketchum walk by.

"Good evening Mrs. Ketchum."

"Oh, hello Tracy. Are you heading home?" She glanced up at the second story. "Looks like you forgot to turn a light off."

"No, Professor Oak's still in there."

"He never goes home, does he?"

"No, he doesn't leave the lab much." He smiled when he saw here gaze longingly up at the lit window.

"Would you do me a favor Mrs. Ketchum?"

"Hmm? What's that dear?" She finally tore her gaze from the second story window.

"Would you check on Professor Oak tomorrow? You see, tomorrow's Saturday and he always gives the assistants Saturday off."

"Of course."

Tracy handed over the keys and turned to leave. Maybe she can knock the sense back into Professor Oak. He's been acting so weird lately. 

"Tracy!"

"Yes Mrs. Ketchum?"

"Would you like to visit tomorrow? Misty is coming over and I just remembered I'm going to be…ah, a little busy."

Tracy smiled slightly. "I see. It just so happens that I'm free tomorrow. Any particular reason you want me over there with them?"

"Just make sure Ash and Misty stay out of trouble."

Tracy's small smile grew into a knowing one. "You got it Mrs. Ketchum…You know, the Professor's a pretty lucky guy."

He was taken by surprise when Mrs. Ketchum rushed over and wrapped her arms around him.

"You don't how much this means to me Tracy."

"I think I might if I could breath again!"

She immediately let go and stepped back. "Sorry, and thanks Tracy."

"No problem."

Delia clutched the keys to her chest and decided that maybe it was time to take Samuel up on his offer to start over.


	14. January 5

**Chapter 14-January 5**

Ash watched her with a bored expression as she packed a basket of wine, her homemade bread, and a few other things.

"What are you doing mom?"

"Well, Professor Oak was telling me how much he missed my cooking and I decided I would send him a care package."

Ash shrugged his shoulders. "Whatever."

"Why don't you watch a movie while I go shower. You can invite Tracy over."

Ash shrugged his shoulders again and shuffled into the living room while she raced for the bathroom.

"Took you long enough." He mumbled as he headed for the phone.

!ELDERSHIPPING!

She came out a long while later, wrapped in a bathrobe, her hair up in a towel, and with some blush and mascara on. She figured she could watch the end of the movie with Ash and then get Tracy to come and stay the night. She didn't expect to see Ash and Tracy on the floor digging into a bowl of popcorn while Misty sprawled upside-down on the couch, all watching _Blade_. She quietly sneaked over to Tracy and Misty and whispered to them.

"Can I talk to you in the kitchen?"

They quickly followed behind her. "What did you need Mrs. Ketchum?"

"I was wondering if you would like to stay the night? I just realized I left some things over at the lab and might be there a while trying to… find them."

Tracy and Misty weren't as dense as Ash and immediately got the gist. The two nodded and started to walk off and then Misty turned around.

"Could I speak to you alone Mrs. Ketchum?"

"Of course."

Tracy rejoined Ash to watch the movie. Misty looked at Mrs. Ketchum and then suddenly put her hand to the older woman's forehead. "Hmm. It seems you have a fever Mrs. Ketchum. Your eyes are bit glazed over and heartbeat is way too fast."

Delia raised an eyebrow at her. "Oh, am I sick?"

Misty nodded emphatically. "Yep. You've got all the classic signs of love sickness. It's a good thing you're going to see the Professor tonight. Maybe he can cure it for you."

Mrs. Ketchum blushed. Misty pulled her into the bathroom.

"How about I help you? It's not like I wanted to watch _Blade_ anyway."

Delia gladly accepted her help. She hadn't dated since Will and needed to brush up on the basics. Misty eagerly fixed her hair and finished her make-up, chatting to her all the while like a best friend.

"You need to look your best if you want to catch your man."

Delia raised an eyebrow. "Then why don't you ever do this kind of stuff to try and catch Ash? Don't be embarrassed. I've known for a long time."

Misty's fierce red blush faded to a slight pink tinting her cheeks. "Not to be rude Mrs. Ketchum, but Ash is a little too dense for that to work."

"True, but he's still a guy."

Misty blushed again and put the finishing touches to her hair and then dragged Delia into her bedroom and rummaged through her closet until she found the perfect dress. She turned her back as Delia put it on.

"Well, what do you think?"

Misty turned around. "You look ten years younger."

Delia laughed. "I know it's not true, but thanks anyway, I needed it."

She swept Misty up in a hug. "You're so good to me and my Ash."

"Good luck, Mrs. Ketchum." Misty felt a tear hit her hair.

"You're like the daughter I never had."

"I might still be part of the family yet."

Delia sat down on the bed next to Misty. "I know Ash really likes you, Misty and like you said, he's pretty dense to any hints. My advice to you is, be open and a little forceful. If he runs, and he probably will, just back him into a corner and he'll cave."

"Are you sure?"

"I used to be the same way. How do you think Will got me to finally accept all his proposals?"

They both laughed until Tracy and Ash yelled from the living room for them to quiet down so they could finish watching the movie.

"Ashley William Ketchum! That's no way to talk to your mother!"

"Mom! Don't call me that."

Misty stared at Delia, a bit curious. "His real name is Ashley."

"Yes, of course. He was named after my grandfather, Ashley D. Peabody."

"What's the D stand for?"

"You don't want to know."

A smile began to creep across Misty's face.

"You won't use it against him will you?"

"Of course not." Yeah, right.

"Good. Every woman needs a little something to blackmail her man with."

Misty blushed. "Thanks Mrs. Ketchum."

Delia began to sniffle again. "You're going to make me cry again and I'll ruin my make-up."

Misty hurriedly shoved her to the front room and handed her the basket she had packed. Tracy got up and dug through his pocket and then handed a small pouch to Delia. "Brock gave this to me yesterday and had asked me to give it to you and Professor Oak."

She looked quizzically down at what he had given her. "What is it?'

Tracy shrugged his shoulders.

Ash just waved to her. "Have fun, mom."

Delia blushed. "If you need anything just have Mimie call the lab. He knows the number. Oh; and there are leftovers in the fridge if you kids get hungry…"

Misty bodily shoved her out the front door before Delia could finish as the two boys and two pokémon yelled at her.

"Go!" "Mime!" "Pika!"

!ELDERSHIPPING!

Delia quickly walked over the lab and slipped the key into the door. She toed off her shoes and crept upstairs. She was disappointed when she didn't see Samuel. A smile flickered across her face when she saw the light under the bathroom door. She set down her basket and opened the door…right into Samuel. He lay on the floor clutching his pounding head as Delia leaned over him.

"Samuel? Are you all right?"

"We really should stop meeting like this, Delia."

She chuckled and when he went to sit up she straddled his chest. The purple dress he'd admired so much on New Year's Eve rode up to mid thigh, causing his eyes to wander there and then refocus on her face a second later. "Delia!"

"Before you start running off at the mouth I have a proposition for you. Will you listen to it?"

He wheezed at her. "Yes, if you let me up to breath."

She scooted down to his lap and he slowly sat up. "Now, what's this I heard about a proposition?"

"I'm only going to offer this one time, Sam. So, are you listening?"

"Go on."

"I want you."

"Dee…"

She held up her finger for silence. "I'm offering one night, no strings attached."

"One night of what?"

She shrugged her shoulders and looked coyly up at him. "Whatever. And tomorrow, if things don't work out, I'll go back home and we can act like it never happened."

"You know that'll be next to impossible. The whole town practically knows about us being stuck together during the blizzard and they're starting some rumors. This will just be fuel for their fire."

She squared her shoulders. "I don't care."

Samuel cupped her face in his hands. "You want me so bad that you're willing to do this?"

She nodded as best she could and he smiled at her. "All right. I'll give you what you want. One night with no strings attached…"

"I hear a but."

"But on one condition. You teach me how to cook."

She laughed at him. "That might take more than one night."

"Those are my terms. What do you say?"

For her answer she wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him till they were both senseless.


	15. January 6

**Chapter 15-January 6**

Samuel opened his eyes. What a headache. That's the last time I get drunk for a while. 

He felt rather than heard a feminine groan from on top of him. "Delia?"

"Shh! Not so loud."

He closed his eyes for a few seconds. What was Delia doing in bed with him? Oh, yes. She came over last night and offered that one night with no strings attached. Then, if he remembered rightly, they got drunk.

"Samuel."

"Yes."

"Did anything happen last night?"

"I don't know."

She ran a hand up and down his chest. "Are you dressed?"

He reached under the covers and felt his boxers. "Um, yes."

"Am I dressed?"

"Can't you tell?"

"At the moment, no. I can't feel much below my neck."

He ran his hands down her back. "Your short your bra."

His hands came to finally rest on her butt. "But you have your panties."

"Mind keeping those there?"

"I thought you said you couldn't feel anything."

"I can feel that." Her eyes widened. "And that."

She scooted to the edge of the bed and sat up, holding her head and Samuel propped himself up on his elbows. "Why did you get us drunk?"

"I was hoping to get a little further than we did, but then we passed out."

"You didn't have to get me drunk for that."

"Now you tell me. Oh, my head. I need a shower and some aspirin, and not necessarily in that order."

Samuel lay back in bed staring at the ceiling until he heard the water turn on. You could practically see the light bulb go on over his head. He quickly and quietly moved from the bed and shucked off his boxer shorts. He slipped into the shower behind her and whispered in her ear. "Mind if I join you."

No sound was heard for a few seconds and then…

"Samuel!"

!ELDERSHIPPING!

Delia stepped out of the shower and wrapped a towel around her. She looked herself over in the mirror. What any man finds desirable about me, I'll never know. 

"You know, I think that's the best shower I've had in a long time Sam."

He stuck his head around the shower curtain and smiled cheekily at her as he brushed his hand forward through his hair, flinging water at her. She glared at him.

"You're not so big that I can't take you over my knee, Samuel Oak."

He wiggled his dark eyebrows. "Please do!"

She stood there, her arms akimbo. "Just because you're almost twenty years younger doesn't mean you can act like a randy teenager."

He stuck out his bottom lip and gave her his best puppy dog eyes. She sighed and leaned in to kiss him. He pulled back after a bit. Delia opened her eyes to give him a bemused look.

"Hold that thought for a minute." He ducked back into the shower. Delia slipped on the terry-cloth robe that hung on the back of the door and went out to make some tea.

A few minutes later as she sat on the couch with a cup of tea, Samuel opened the door to glare at the back of her head. "Hey, that's my robe!"

Delia smiled into her tea and glanced back over her shoulder at him storming naked across the room.

That man has a great butt. 

She turned and went back to her tea. When she finally looked up she had to blink. Samuel was wearing a pair of fire-engine-red pajama bottoms. Where he'd dug those up from, she had no idea. He just stood there with his hands in his pockets, looking at her. It unnerved her a bit.

"Aren't you cold without a shirt."

"I'm actually pretty warm." On the outside Samuel appeared calm and a little bored. On the inside though, he could have sworn that a flock of Butterfrees were doing barrel rolls in his stomach and a wild Tauros was stampeding through his chest. Ever the scientist, he was trying to figure his chances if he would live through the experience.

She looked up at him, clearly confused. "What's wrong with you?"

"You."

"Huh?"

He dropped down on the coffee table in front of her and looked her in the eye. "Delia, what have you done to me?"

She smiled evilly. "You don't remember? And here I thought you were conscious the whole time."

He just smiled. He slowly slid off the table and on to one knee in front of her. He was going to do this right. He took her hand in his and kissed her knuckles. "No, you've done so much more for me."

She ran the fingers of her free hand through his unkempt hair. "Samuel, I haven't done anything that any other concerned neighbor wouldn't have done for a dear friend."

He returned her evil grin. "What about…"

She rolled her eyes. "Except that."

He let out a sigh and moved forward. "You offered your help when I needed it and when others would have probably blown me off as a senile old man."

"You don't look so old to me."

"Will you hush, woman? You're making this harder than is has to be."

She stared quietly down at him a bit perturbed. Samuel took a calming breath and continued. "You stayed when it was better for you to go home. You pushed on, even when the odds were against you. You forgot about your own well being when I was in trouble. I'm still not too happy about that part though."

Tears were beginning to well up in her eyes and as she laughed at his last statement, one sneaked out and rolled down her cheek. He reached up and gently brushed it away with his fingertip.

"You gave me my life. You gave me youth. You gave me a new purpose, and you took something in the process."

"What are you talking about?"

"You stole my heart and my will to think straight when I'm around you."

She giggled a little and leaned down so they were forehead to forehead and gently rubbed her nose against his. "It's only fair. You never gave me my heart back."

"Then I only have one more thing to ask of you."

"Ask away. What do you want from me?"

He pulled a ring from his pocket and slipped it on her finger. "Commitment, love, and maybe a few laughs along the way. I want everything."

She stared with astonishment at the ring on her hand. "You…you're asking a lot of me, Sam."

He waited a few seconds and when she didn't make a move or say anything he hung his head in defeat. All his hopes and dreams were flushed down the toilet. He went to stand up and was immediately knocked down. He stared at the ceiling for a few seconds and then picked his head up. Delia was sprawled out on top of him.

"Delia, you're crazy!"

She looked up at him with a wide smile on her face. "Only for you."

She scooted up him and was about to plant a kiss on his lips when he grabbed her shoulders and held her just far enough away. "You still haven't answered my question."

She chuckled a little and laid her hand against his heart. "You know, for being a so called genius, you can be really dense sometimes."

He placed a searing kiss on her smiling lips and chuckled as he wrapped his arms loosely around her. "What happened to your proposition of a one night stand with no strings attached?"

She settled onto his chest with her chin resting atop her hands. "Unfortunately, when I made that proposition I had a few strings attached. You already had your strings wrapped around my heart."

Samuel ran his hands up and down her sides. "I think a bit of celebrating is in order. How about we…"

_Bang, bang, bang!_

Delia tried to get up and Samuel held on to her a bit tighter.

"Just ignore it Delia."

"But it could be something important."

"What if it's a neighbor? What'll they say?"

She wiggled the fingers of her left hand in his face as she squirmed out of his grasp. "They'll have to congratulate me. I'm an _engaged_ woman."

He stuck his hand out. "Well then, help this _old_ man up."

She giggled as she heaved him up and patted his bare chest. "Go put a shirt on…Honey."

He smiled as she walked away, rubbing his hand over where she'd patted his chest. Honey? I think I could get to like that. 

!ELDERSHIPPING!

Delia opened the door to find Ash and his motley crew.

"Ash, what are you doing here?"

Samuel joined her at the door and seeing who it was, ushered the kids in before they caught colds. They all moved to the kitchenette upstairs where Brock made some of his excellent hot chocolate.

Tracy smiled at the older couple. "So, Mrs. Ketchum. Did you find what you were looking for?"

She fiddled with the band on her ring finger. "Something like that."

"So, I take it you guys liked my gift?" Brock poured the hot chocolate.

"Actually, we forgot about it. What was it?"

Brock almost turned purple he blushed so dark. "It's a surprise."

Ash looked Samuel straight in the eye. "So, when's the happy day…Dad?"

Delia and Samuel's mouths dropped.

Misty sipped her hot chocolate. "We may be just teenagers but we're not that dumb…Well, okay. Ash is still that dumb…"

"Hey!"

Delia spoke up before World War III broke out. "Aren't you jumping to conclusions. He only just asked me."

Tracy drummed his fingers on the table before speaking. "Actually we entered the pool the town's got going on when you'll get hitched."

Brock bumped Tracy's shoulder with his own. "We're gonna win for sure."

Samuel rolled his eyes skyward and shook his head. "How about we open that present from Brock?"

Brock choked on his hot chocolate and tried to catch Samuel before he left. But he was too late. Samuel slowly shuffled up the stairs staring in the pouch Tracy had given Delia the night before with a slightly dazed look. Ash, Misty, and Tracy ran over and peered inside. All three of their jaws dropped.

Delia's cup smashed on the floor at what Tracy said next. "Holy shit! He gave you condoms!"


	16. April 25

**Epilogue-April 25**

Professor Samuel Oak and Delia Ketchum stood before a Justice of the Peace with Ash Ketchum, Misty Waterflower, Tracy Sketchit, Brock Slate, and May and Gary Oak acting as witnesses.

Misty was now about five thousand dollars richer; she'd won the town pool on the marriage date. She reached over and stole Ash's hat and chucked it into the bushes. He moped for a bit, but didn't let go of her other hand. He'd finally given in to her advances about a month back and was now her steady boyfriend.

Pikachu stood in front of his trainer with his favorite blue tie, sparking happily. Togepi sat next to him, a velvet pillow balanced on his head where two rings had previously been nestled in the middle of it.

Tracy was whispering something to May, whose fingers were linked with his, and a smile curved her lips. Her other hand was wrapped in the back of Gary's collar so couldn't escape. He groused silently to himself about the prospect of becoming Ash's nephew.

Brock stood just behind the motley group with tears in his squinting eyes as Samuel and Delia turned to each other.

"You may now kiss the bride."

…_The End_


End file.
